WASHINGTON (NNS 6/19/2013) — The Navy is moving forward to open all positions previously closed to the assignment of women, continuing in the Department of Defense’s rescission of 1994 Direct Ground Combat Definition and Assignment Rule.
Navy’s implementation plan, submitted by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey and acknowledged by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, has now been submitted for Congressional notification.
“Navy’s deliberate approach to reducing gender-based barriers to women’s service will provide the time necessary to integrate women into occupational fields so they can succeed and flourish,” said Rear Adm. Tony Kurta, director, Military Personnel Plans and Policy. “This is important, and we’ve taken our time to get it right. Our implementation plan has addressed all positions currently closed to the assignment of women, ensuring we maximize professional opportunities for our Sailors.”
According to the implementation plan, the Navy will have no closed occupations, very limited number of closed positions, and equal professional opportunity for females in every officer designator and enlisted rating in the Navy by January 1, 2016.
Following the required 30-day Congressional notification period, over 400 Navy positions in the Coastal Riverine Force will be opened for the assignment of women. The 400 Navy positions in the Coastal Riverine Force small craft include both female officers and enlisted.
More than 5,000 positions are currently closed to the assignment of women in the USMC Ground Combat Element. Navy will follow the USMC Implementation Plan as units are opened. These positions include female Hospital Corpsmen (HM) and Religious Program Specialists (RP) and female medical officers, Chaplains, and surface warfare officers, submarine officers, and aviators serving as Naval Gunfire Liaison Officers (NGLO). All Navy personnel assigned to the USMC Ground Combat Element will be required to adhere to USMC occupational standards as applicable.
Over 3,000 positions in Naval Special Warfare remain currently closed to the assignment of women. The Navy will follow the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) developed integrated timeline for the potential integration of women into Special Forces. According to the timeline, Congressional notification for Naval Special Warfare integration is scheduled for July 2015.
Election for Navy enlisted boot camp and officer selection is scheduled to begin in October 2015, with the Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) and Special Warfare Combatant Craft Crewmen (SWCC) pipeline opening to females and cadre placement beginning in January 2016. The first opportunity for female enlisted personnel to attend SEAL/SWCC training is scheduled for March 2016, with the first opportunity for officers to ship to SEAL/SWCC training June 2016.
USSOCOM is working with all of the Services to tie occupational standards to operational requirements. Additionally, USSOCOM will research and analyze social impacts of integrations on small, elite units operating in austere and remote environments and conduct behavioral science analysis, with all studies scheduled to be complete by July 1, 2014.
During the USSOCOM female integration implementation process, quarterly progress reports on the elimination of gender-restrictive policies will be made to the Secretary of Defense through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.
Privacy, berthing, and leadership requirements currently restrict approximately 19,000 Navy positions to the assignment of women on both surface ships and submarines. The Navy will decide whether to expand assignment opportunity for enlisted women to Frigates, Mine Countermeasure ships, and Patrol Coastal Craft no later than June 2014.
Following in-depth analysis of cost, habitability decommissioning and commissioning schedules, the Navy will decide on the future assignment of female enlisted on submarines no later than March 2015.
If restrictions for assignment will be necessary based on cost prohibitive privacy and berthing updates, and if equal professional opportunity cannot be found elsewhere, the Navy will request an exception to policy by the Secretary of Defense.
The Navy supports integrating women into newly opened positions and units as expeditiously as possible, considering good order and judicious use of fiscal resources. The Navy’s deliberate approach to reducing gender-based barriers to women’s service will provide the time necessary to integrate women into occupational fields so they can succeed and flourish.
More information on women in the Navy can be found at the Navy Office of Women’s Policy web site at http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/organization/bupers/WomensPolicy/Pages/default.aspx
For more news from Chief of Naval Personnel – Office of Diversity and Inclusion, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnp-diversity/ .
For more news from Chief of Naval Personnel – Office of Diversity and Inclusion, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnp-diversity/ .