SERVICEWOMEN TO BE ASSIGNED TO SUBS, COMBAT !

By ANNE GEARAN

The Associated Press
Tuesday, February 23, 2010; 4:46 PM

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon has moved to lift a decades-old policy that prohibits women from serving aboard Navy submarines, part of a gradual reconsideration of women's roles in a military fighting two wars whose front lines can be anywhere.

At issue is the end of a policy that kept women from serving aboard the last type of ship off-limits to them. The thinking was that the close quarters aboard subs would make coed service difficult to manage.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates notified Congress in a letter signed Friday that the Navy intends to repeal the ban on women sailors on subs. Congress has 30 days to weigh in.

"He supports the Navy's efforts to change their policy," Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said Tuesday.

A defense official told The Associated Press that numerous physical changes to submarines would have to be made, but that cadets who graduate from the Naval Academy this year could be among the first Navy women to take submarine posts.

The change was first reported by ABC News.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because Congress has not yet had a chance to consider the Navy's recommendations.

The Navy's plan would phase in women's service, beginning with officers aboard the larger subs that are easier to retrofit for coed quarters. Women would never serve solo.

Because of the length of time required for training, it would be more than a year before the first women joined subs, assuming Congress raises no major objections that slow the schedule.

Women began serving aboard the Navy's surface ships in 1993.

Since then, many of the distinctions between who is in combat and who is not have been erased.

Women are formally banned from combat posts in the Army, for instance, but routinely serve in jobs such as medics, pilots and drivers that place them shoulder to shoulder with men serving in "combat" jobs.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey told Congress on Tuesday that he supports a reconsideration of women's combat roles.

"I believe it's time that we take a look at what women are actually doing in Iraq and Afghanistan. And then we take a look at our policies," Casey told the Senate Armed Services Committee. While no organized effort is under way, "I think it's time," he added.

Why hasn't ERA passed in Florida, and thus, the Nation?

ERA has yet to be ratified/voted for by the Florida legislature though almost all the other required states have ratified. Florida and 2 states are holding them hostage! Florida Senate committees pass it now and then, but the House has refused for NINE SOLID YEARS even to give ERA a hearing! YOU can make it happen, see below. Pop back here to see the results.

FLORIDA'S SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, Rep. Larry Cretul, stands as The Barrier to Florida's ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Each Speaker has done that for the past NINE years. YOU can change his mind in 2010!! Legislative Session starts in March. Let's make sure that the House of Representatives KNOWS why they must make sure this year to co-sponsor HCR 8003!
Why?
Because ERA benefits Everyone, man and woman alike, as well as the economy. Because there is no "down side", no strings attached. Floridians clearly want the ERA passed. Because ERA REQUIRES NO FUNDING. And most of ALL--because COSPONSORING THE ERA WILL GAIN VOTES FOR THEM!

Here's where YOU come in...for little or no-cost, and about 3 minutes of your time...YOU can make all the difference in 2010:

Representative Cretul calls the shots in Florida. Make sure that he SURELY knows that ERA is watching.

Call him today and through March via the following numbers. Urge him to" stop stalling on the ERA bill HCR 8003, get it agendaed and heard in committee early"!

Ocala office--352 873-6564; Gainesville--352 955-6407; Tallahassee--850 955-6407.
Start calling ASAP thru March. I'm heading to Tallahassee with our volunteer lobbyists to do business with him face to face, so pave the way for us by calling, calling, calling. MANY THANKS for this MOST IMPORTANT WORK for ERA!

The Leg. Session approaches. Come back here for rapid updates and to www.RatifyERAflorida.net for more info. Thanks, SandyO

FLORIDA ERA BILLS are MOVING !

(Copy the Talking Points from a previous blog here so you are well-prepped for being an ERA lobbyist, please.)

2010 ERA HOUSE BILL 8003 is now referred to Cttes/Councils :

First, and toughest one for us is the
FL HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL JUSTICE & COURTS POLICY N=13 R=9 D=4 *****

Representative Domino (pledged previously to vote for ERA bill)
Chair
Representative Weinstein
Vice Chair
Democratic Ranking Member: Representative Soto D
Representatives: Eisnaugle, Fetterman D, Flores, Frishe, Gibson D,
Gonzalez, Grady, Murzin, O’Toole, Poppell

If you are a constituent of any of the Republicans here, please start calling asap -- (email me for their phone numbers, etc.)

TELL THEM **YOU**ARE A CONSTITUENT and URGE THEM TO COSPONSOR or VOTE FOR HCR 8003 in Council. Tell them you want your message directed to that member ! Repeat this ACTION as many times as possible now thru March if you want the ERA to pass. PLEASE, pretty please?

Then, please call Speaker of the House Rep. Larry Cretul, who has total say over whether HCR 8003 gets heard AT ALL next month during Session. His numbers are: Ocala office--352 873-6564; Gainesville--352 955-6407; Tallahassee--850 955-6407. Start calling ASAP thru March. I'm heading to Tallahassee with our volunteer lobbyists to do business with him face to face, so pave the way for us by calling, calling, calling. MANY THANKS.

Tell his office you are a CONSTITUENT of his, and you WANT HIM TO AGENDA AND HEAR THE ERA BILL HCR 8003 early March!! And,"It will bring out women voters"!!

You don't have to say anything more than the above to any of the members. Just stick to the point and KEEP DOING IT. They need to know there are 300 000 of us ERA supporters out here..., most of us VOTERS. Many are up for reelection, so they'll be listening closer this year.

They tell us in Tallahassee that you called. (Emails just get caught in SPAM or deleted, so phoning is best.)

ERA Board, Staff and I are MOST GRATEFUL for your efforts. When we get ERA passed, YOU know YOU have helped sculpt America's principles.

Thank you, one and all for this IMMENSELY IMPORTANT WORK.

Sandy Oestreich, founder-president, Equal Rights Alliance
Write me at RatifyERA@cs.com or, better yet, Comment Here, and take a tour of our Revolution in Progress at http://www.ratifyeraflorida.net/