Anchors Away

Navy Lifts No-Women-on-Subs Rule

One of last places to exclude women.

The attention may be on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell but meanwhile another barrier in the military has fallen: The Navy is going to lift its ban on female submarine crew members, sources tell ABC News. The only thing between female sailors and the deep blue sea is Congress—a 30-day window for congressional comment began on Monday. Both the civilian secretary of the Navy, Ray Maybus, and the chief of naval operations, Admiral Gary Roughhead, support ending the ban. It will, however, be at least a year and a half before any women serve on a sub, as the Navy plans to phase them in gradually and the female officers first in line will require at least a year of “nuclear school.”