The Navy SEALs are now open to women with no exemptions by end of the year in accordance with the new gender-neutral employment policy in the Defense Department, according to Military.com. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the change in a speech Monday in Cleveland.
While the commander of the Navy's special warfare units has a slightly different take, recommending SEALs and combat crew jobs, while open to women, women will have greater risk of injury. The commander also suspects that the service may be pressured to lower standards on those positions.
"There are no insurmountable obstacles," Rear Adm. Brian Losey, head of the Navy's Special Warfare Command, said in a five page memo released, the Star Triibune reported. Losey was referring to opening commando jobs to women. He did warn of foreseeable impacts to intermingling women with ground combat units.
Losey oversees the SEAL teams and special warfare combatant craft crewmen and wants to ensure that the high standards of special warfare positions are not lowered, according to KWTX.
The U.S. military services are finalizing their discussion on whether to include or ban women from front-line combat. While the Navy, Air Force and Army will likely open all positions to women, the Marines have so far recommended closing certain Marine infantry and ground combat job to women.
