The Navy SEALs may soon see women taking on the hellacious training of one of the United States most elite fighting forces. The commander of the Navy’s special warfare units has sent a five-page document in which he recommends that combat crew jobs and Navy SEAL training be opened up to women.
“With the recent female graduates from the Ranger course, there may be an expectation that there will soon be female graduates from BUD/S. We will welcome any candidate who meets standards.”
Losey went on to state that placing women in positions, such as the Navy SEAL’s, will not raise the ability for the unit to prepare for, or fight, in combat. Losey went on to explain that adding women into combat roles “will channel focus and energy away from core combat readiness and effectiveness efforts.” In the document, he cautions that women may be more susceptible to injury and that pressure to lower entry standards may soon follow. Rear Admiral Brian Losey went on record and said that “there are no insurmountable obstacles” for women to obtain these high-risk jobs. However, pressure to lower the standards so that women can pass should not be allowed to happen. The standards for becoming a Navy SEAL have been established over the last 50 years. The standards are so high that up to 70 percent of men will not pass.
Will women in combat jobs be distracting to the other males?
Losey believes that women will not be welcomed with open arms, but “acceptance is expected to increase over time.” The male soldiers will have no choice but to learn to adjust to the fact that women will be serving next to them in some of the most dangerous combat situations that the Navy SEAL’s will face.
Another issue that will need to be addressed is the publicity of women becoming Navy SEAL’s. Losey believes that when women start to integrate into these high-risk jobs that the media will be reporting heavily on the topic. He thinks the media presence could lead to distractions and hinder the missions that these groups train for. Elite combat warriors do not want their identity known to the outside world. A protocol to control the media will need to be established in order to ensure that any future missions are not sabotaged.
What are your thoughts about women becoming Navy SEAL’s and joining other combat jobs? Should some military jobs just be men only?
[Image via Associated Press]
