First Female Submariners Taped in Showers

Navy criminal investigators are looking into who secretly filmed female officers of a submarine crew while they were showering and changing clothes aboard the USS Wyoming's unisex heads.

Petty officers recording female shipmates in showers, really? Really guys?!  It's noteworthy that this is the first submarine to have women serving onboard, and these are the first female submariners. 

According to a Navy Times article, up to a dozen sailors are suspected of viewing secretly recorded videos of their female shipmates undressing in a submarine shower over a period of 10 months.

Navy Vice Adm. M.J. Connor wrote that "an investigation is in progress." He also noted the women affected were provided assistance and the alleged perpetrators were removed from the ship pending the investigation's results.  "The Navy has successfully integrated women into our aviation, surface warfare and expeditionary warfare communities," Connor wrote in the letter. "It would be inaccurate to say that we achieved this without incident, but I can say unequivocally that we are a better force because of that integration."

At least official Navy acknowledges the service has had its share of "incidents" in transitioning into a seamless, fully integrated force.

Rejection!

I must be a burgeoning author, as I received my first rejection email this week. On the positive side, the literary agent's rejection resulted from his request to read my manuscript. Though disappointed that the agent didn't find the book a good fit, I am highly encouraged that the first agent I reached out to was intrigued enough to actually request to see the manuscript.

Undaunted, I just sent out three more emails to prospective agents. The right agent for this project is out there, we'll find one another! Until then, I'll continue to provide occasional updates and also populate this blog with information and links relevant to The Last Top Gun.  Check six!

Unconventional Path to Publication

Yesterday marked a milestone in publication of The Last Top Gun. Rather than follow the traditional path: write a book, contact agents, keep fingers crossed, obtain an agent, contact publishers, keep two fingers crossed, sign major book deal; as an unpublished writer, I decided to take the road less travelled.

I wrote the book, then created a website, this blog, Twitter and Facebook sites to promote and gauge interest in the project. I was thrilled to see hundreds of visitors a day visit these various The Last Top Gun web platforms. People also check out videos on YouTube and the website.

An unknown writer who does not want to self-publish can only get so far on his own. Yesterday, I took the next step by reaching out to two accomplished literary agents. I look forward to finding an agent who shares my passion, character and entrepreneurial spirit. And yes, I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Website is Live!

The Last Top Gun website is online.  Click here to check it out.

Many thanks to the folks at MoPro for creating a terrific site. 

The novel project is "whells in the well", picking up speed and altitude. Stay tuned for more info as we continue moving forward.

Pentagon Okays Women in Combat: Shot Across the Bra

Wow, I had no idea when I wrote in Tuesday's post that it was only a matter of time before the Pentagon would open all combat positions to women that such a directive would be announced less than 48 hours later (okay, not every position is open, as it appears SEAL and other Spec-Op billets remain male-only for the foreseeable future).

I never bought into the "women are as strong as men" argument for keeping females from combat. In my 25 years in the military I saw plenty of bulky women that were just as strong as their wiry male counterparts. Sure, women lack upper body strength, but how often is a soldier limited to just upper body when completing an obstacle course, performing a mission or rescuing a comrade? Strength is as much about full-body leverage, flexibility and balance as it is a discrete body part. Even the most pedestrian Crossfit student has figured out this fact. Several "experts" have reached similar conclusions that women are fit to fight.

Demi Moore in "GI Jane"

Personally, I think the bigger issue is how young women and men (think 18-20 year-olds who make up over 74% of today's enlisted military force) handle living and working together 24/7 under the harshest and most stressful conditions imaginable while 10,000 miles from home. Sure, it's the man's responsibility to keep it in his pants and the woman's responsibility to stay emotionally and physically detached, but both genders are fighting basic biology and evolution if they think they can remain 100% unaffected and aphysical during the rigors, stress, fear and exhilaration of combat and its related training . Moreover, adding women to the mix of elite combat units (remember, the sole mission of combat units is to kill people and break things--general military units are used for humanitarian and other non-combat assistance) will substantially and indelibly alter the culture of these units both on and off the battlefield.

There are sound, rationale arguments on both sides of the controversy. The Last Top Gun delves directly into the heart of these issues and debate with CDR Erik "Troll" Green carrying the banner for women in the military--but not in elite combat units--and LTJG Grace “Ariel” Miller stridently arguing for fully integrated combat forces of every type. The characters clash throughout the novel, with the winner to be determined by the DoD, military branches and US society as a whole. Hang on for a rough ride! More posts, debate and information on this highly charged issue to follow in the coming months and probably years.

Fort Bragg Club Bans Lesbian Spouse

MSNBC reported yesterday that the Pentagon is endorsing a move by leaders at Fort Bragg to stay out of a decision made by its on-base spouses club to refuse membership to the lesbian spouse of a female Army officer.

The newlywed wife of a female lieutenant colonel was reportedly blocked from joining the spouses club at Fort Bragg, sparking accusations that she was blackballed only because she is a lesbian.

In what only can be described as outlandish irony, the blackballed spouse has been nominated for the Fort Bragg Military Spouse of the Year Award.  Equally ironic is the fact the Marine Corps issued a directive last week that same-sex spouses be allowed to participate in spouses clubs at all Marine bases.  Yep, that's right, the Gyrenes are leading from the front on establishing rights for gay and lesbian spouses for military servicemen and women.

How can one service branch ban gay and lesbian spouses from base activities while another branch permit such access?  A DoD spokesman explained that the Pentagon's position on the Army matter is legally viable despite the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” because the Defense Department still follows the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). That law defines marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman. Under DOMA, the federal government doesn’t recognize same-sex marriages and doesn’t offer same-sex military spouses some benefits given to heterosexual spouses.

Hmm, sounds like federal court intervention may be on the horizon.