US Navy Debuts First Gender-Neutral Submarine
USS New Jersey, a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, was engineered to support the inclusion of female crew members. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The USS New Jersey, a Virginia-class fast-attack submarine, has officially joined the US Navy, marking a significant shift in naval operations as it has been designed from the ground up to accommodate both male and female crew members.
The history of the submarine service has predominantly been male-dominated since its establishment in the early 1900s. This changed in 2010 when the Pentagon began allowing women to serve on submarines, leading to necessary retrofitting for enhanced restroom facilities and privacy.
The commissioning ceremony for SSN 796 took place at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Middletown, New Jersey, attended by approximately 4,000 guests. Commander Steve Halle, captain of the New Jersey, described the occasion as “a truly historic moment.” In his address, he stated, “Today, we commissioned our ship, and she is the fastest, most advanced, fully integrated fast-attack to date. Our superior professionalism is enhanced by our crew integration and our diversity.”
Vice-Admiral Robert Gaucher, commander of Submarine Force Atlantic, noted that the submarine service is now “fully gender-integrated” and confirmed that all future nuclear-powered submarines, including the new Columbia-class, will have gender-neutral accommodations.
Improvements have been implemented to enhance privacy in sleeping quarters and bathrooms, with considerations for the physical characteristics of female crew members, as reported by the military newspaper Stars and Stripes.
Currently, over 700 women are serving in the submarine force, according to Navy Region Hawaii records cited by local news outlet NorthJersey.com.
The USS New Jersey can house a crew of up to 135 members, measuring over 115 meters in length and nearly 11 meters wide, with a maximum diving capability of almost 250 meters. Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin has affectionately referred to the submarine as “Jersey Girl,” embellishing its interior with items that reflect the Garden State's culture, including a guitar signed by Jon Bon Jovi.
As the 23rd Virginia-class submarine constructed in the last 25 years, the New Jersey is also the third ship to bear the state's name. The first was BB-16, a pre-dreadnought that served in World War I, followed by BB-62, an Iowa-class battleship built for World War II and retired in 1999.
In the week leading up to the commissioning ceremony, crew members from the New Jersey participated in community outreach by visiting the Battleship New Jersey museum in Camden and engaging with students at Pablo Duarte-Jose Julian Marti School No. 28 on September 11.
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
The history of the submarine service has predominantly been male-dominated since its establishment in the early 1900s. This changed in 2010 when the Pentagon began allowing women to serve on submarines, leading to necessary retrofitting for enhanced restroom facilities and privacy.
The commissioning ceremony for SSN 796 took place at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Middletown, New Jersey, attended by approximately 4,000 guests. Commander Steve Halle, captain of the New Jersey, described the occasion as “a truly historic moment.” In his address, he stated, “Today, we commissioned our ship, and she is the fastest, most advanced, fully integrated fast-attack to date. Our superior professionalism is enhanced by our crew integration and our diversity.”
Vice-Admiral Robert Gaucher, commander of Submarine Force Atlantic, noted that the submarine service is now “fully gender-integrated” and confirmed that all future nuclear-powered submarines, including the new Columbia-class, will have gender-neutral accommodations.
Improvements have been implemented to enhance privacy in sleeping quarters and bathrooms, with considerations for the physical characteristics of female crew members, as reported by the military newspaper Stars and Stripes.
Currently, over 700 women are serving in the submarine force, according to Navy Region Hawaii records cited by local news outlet NorthJersey.com.
The USS New Jersey can house a crew of up to 135 members, measuring over 115 meters in length and nearly 11 meters wide, with a maximum diving capability of almost 250 meters. Newport News Shipbuilding President Jennifer Boykin has affectionately referred to the submarine as “Jersey Girl,” embellishing its interior with items that reflect the Garden State's culture, including a guitar signed by Jon Bon Jovi.
As the 23rd Virginia-class submarine constructed in the last 25 years, the New Jersey is also the third ship to bear the state's name. The first was BB-16, a pre-dreadnought that served in World War I, followed by BB-62, an Iowa-class battleship built for World War II and retired in 1999.
In the week leading up to the commissioning ceremony, crew members from the New Jersey participated in community outreach by visiting the Battleship New Jersey museum in Camden and engaging with students at Pablo Duarte-Jose Julian Marti School No. 28 on September 11.
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
