Running head: PROJECT PART 1: CODE OF CONDUCT 1

Project Part 1: Code of Conduct

Robert Hanke
ITT Tech
HU4640 Ethics
Marcie Patzak-Vendetti
5/4/14
PROJECT PART 1: CODE OF CONDUCT 2
Project Part 1: Code of Conduct
Introduction
Throughout our nations great history, females have played a valiant roll in the
military. From the time of Molly Pitcher in the American Revolution, to the women
fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, many have paid the ultimate price. Females throughout
the military have made great strides in advancing in the military. They are no longer
sitting in the rear, behind the desks typing, just bandaging the wounded, or ordering
supplies. They serve on the front lines; fly fighter jet, and even taking command of naval
warships. In April of 2010, Rear Admiral Barry Brunner, Commander Submarine Group
(SUBGRP) 10 announced that 24 females will be joining the Naval Submarine Force by
2012, aboard ballistic-missile (SSBN) submarines (Commander). This signals the end to
the Navys only and last boys club. While this is a great accomplishment, females
serving aboard fast attack (SSN) submarines would not be a wise idea. There are many
factors in which to consider in this effort to interrogate females aboard fast attacks. First,
SSN submarines are much smaller then SSBN submarines, leading to very close
quarters for women. Secondly, the deployment schedule and supplying of an SSN will
hinder the female crew members. Thirdly, the effects that integrated crews would have
on crew members and families. Though I feel that females have made some very
significant strides in the military, the deployment on fast attack submarines is one hurdle
that should not be made.
Revision
The Code of Conduct that the military is trying to put in to place will increase the
likelihood that other Codes of Conducts will be tested. Having served in the U.S. Navy
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stationed aboard many naval submarines for 10 years, I can attest to the general design
of then. With limited berthing aboard fast-attack submarines, most crew members hot
bunk, that means three men to two bunks. This would require females to do the same,
or risk unrest from their male counterparts, and also limit them to a very small space.
Aboard fast-attack submarines, two bathrooms each with four toilets and two urinals
serves 100 crew members. Designating one bath for a small number of women could
disadvantage scores of men, while making them unisex raises other problems
(Grossman). Passageways are very tight, causing most crew members to pass front to
front. This could lead to possible incidental contact with female crew members. The
limited stowage space causes crew members to carry only the required items they
need, and this could cause female crew members to run out of needed personal
hygiene items. With no extra space for a medical facility, and most fast-attack
submarines only having an enlisted Hospital Corpsman, there would be no extra room
for medical supplies devoted solely for females. The typical work spaces are cramp,
most no bigger than a janitors closet, males and females would be in constant, close
physical contact.
The mission of the submarine varies greatly, from the SSBNs deterrent patrol of
three months, to the SSNs Mediterranean deployment that could last up to nine
months. On most deployments, ensuring that the submarine has food and need
supplies is essential for the 6 months it is out. With the limited amount of refit and
resupply location, some supplies are not always available, making it harder for females
to resupply personal items. While a submarine is deployed it spends most of its time
submerged, and out of contact with other ships. Medical issues arise, but, . . . When a
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man comes to sick call with a belly pain, it is probably on of two things flu or
appendicitis. When a woman comes in, it could be one of 50 things Women must
stay in their posts at sea until the 20th week of pregnancy, as long as prenatal care is
available (Book), therefore needing the submarine to change its mission. Being able to
surface and remove a crew member is often difficult, but even more so if the crew
member was a pregnant female. While a submarine is submerged the air quality is
reduced, and could lead to health problems for females who might become pregnant.
Active duty women are expected to plan their pregnancies around sea duty to limit
shipboard crew losses (Book). Since submarines operate as the Silent Service, the
deployment schedule is not known, and getting additional crew members to fill needed
positions is hard.
Submarines like to think of themselves as the cut above, served from below. 80
percent of the time a submariner spends on a fast attack submarine will be at sea, away
from his friends and family. To integrate a crew of a submarine will cost an extreme
amount of money, with some estimates of up to 4 to 5 million dollars. Brig. Gen. Ann
Dunwoody, the first women to earn the rank of four star general said, We have to be
cautious about policy initiatives that jeopardize our war-fighting direct-ground combat
capability for the sake of social experiment (Book). Training men and women together
is hard enough aboard surface ships, air stations, and shore facilities, but now as John
Mason, a retired senior chief petty officer says, You cannot close the hatch on a
submarine, submerge, and tell the crewmembers, dont act human (Macedo). The
average submariner works an 18 hour shift, 6 hours on watch and 12 hours off duty,
during which time he must eat, drill, do maintenance, qualify, and then sleep. By adding
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additional training on how to work alongside mixed genders, crew members start adding
to the lack of sleep time. Military life is rough in general and even tougher for
submariners and their families. They, Navy wives, dont think its a good idea, they do
not want women on submarines with their husbands or their boyfriends (Macedo). With
all of these issues that a Navy wife must endure while her husband is at sea, [They] do
not want [their] husbands that close to some other female (Groosman), are some of the
concerns. The lack of communications with a submarine when deployed is bothersome
for most families. Submarine wives have always felt safe sending their husbands out to
sea, compared to surface sailor wives whose husbands deploy on mixed gender ships.
In conclusion, the Navy has decided that women should serve aboard
submarines, but is this the best idea? Placing female officers on SSBNs might work, but
enlisted females are another matter. Then in fact are we saying that only female officers
should have the ability to advance? There are rules in place regarding fraternization, but
keeping men away from females on long deployments will only add to the stress that
submariners already feel. The extra costs to refit a submarine will be critical. The Navy
will have to spend millions of dollars to change not only submarines in the fleet already,
but those boats that are still on the drawing board. These millions of dollars could be
diverted to other programs, such as better barracks, entertainment facilities on base,
and healthcare for families. You have to be able to keep women and men safe and
secured while they are underway. Will females endure the rigors of submarine life? Do
we make special accommodations and in fact make special rules for them? The unique
atmospheric conditions might present health problem to a woman and her child if she
becomes pregnant. How much more stress are we going to put on our military wives
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and families? The long deployments and lack of communications that already exist for
them will only add to their stress. Now we are asking them to worry not only about the
household bills that need to be paid, but if anything is happening while their spouse is
deployed. There has always been and there will always be a need for well qualified
people to serve on submarines, but adding females to the mix is going to do nothing to
correct this.

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Works Cited
Book, Elizabeth G. Women in the Military Contemporary Issues Companion: Womens
Rights. Greenhaven Press 2003, 24 Jun 2010, <http;//0-
find.galegroup.com.millennium.matc.edu/gps/printdoc.do?>
Commander, Submarine Group 10 Public Affairs. Navy Welcomes Women To Serve In
Submarines. Navy.mil., 4/30/2010, 22 Jun 2010,
<http://www.navy.mil/search/print.asp>
Grossman, Elaine M. Is There Room On Submarines For Women? Christian Science Monitor,
1/28/2000, 24 Jun2010, <http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/delivery?>
Macedo, Diane. Women to Start Serving on Submarines, but Not Everyones On Board.
FOXNews.com 4/29/2010, 23 Jun 2010, <foxnews.com//pub-navy-combats-criti>