Sub Shift

Nancy Duff Campbell, co-president of the National Women’s Law Center, today praised the Navy's plan to drop its ban on having women serve aboard submarines.

“We commend Navy officials for committing to expand opportunities for women in the Navy -- specifically by lifting the ban on women on submarines," she said in a statement. "This is a heartening first step toward opening all positions in the Armed Services to women, who have proven their value and valor under fire in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. We look forward to working with the Navy to implement this policy as quickly as possible.”

In testimony prepared for the his recent renomination hearing, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen advocated the change. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead echoed that call yesterday, according to media reports.

Debate over the issue has persisted for years. In 2000, the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services recommended dropping the ban. Elaine Donnelly, president of the Center for Military Readiness, has long opposed such changes.