SEAL Team 6 could include women by 2016 under Pentagon plan
| Washington
The Pentagon announced Tuesday that it is moving forward with the 鈥渃omplete integration" of women into US Special Operations, suggesting that women will be eligible to compete for slots in the elite Army Rangers and Navy SEAL Team 6 units.
鈥淭he days of Rambo are over,鈥� Maj. Gen. Bennet Sacolick, director of force management and development for US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) told reporters Tuesday. 鈥淭he defining characteristic of our operators [is] intellect.鈥�
But while such a move has the potential to 鈥減rovide a new and powerful dimension" to Special Operations, 鈥渕uch work remains to be done,鈥� according to a Department of Defense memo from SOCOM head Adm. William McRaven.
This includes studying what the social impact of having women as special operators might be, as well as better understanding the challenges that go along with 鈥渋ntegrating women into small, elite teams that operate in remote, austere environments,鈥� wrote Admiral McRaven in his memo to the joint chiefs on March 22.
Under the current plan, women could begin training with Army Rangers by 2015 and with Navy SEALs by 2016.
In his note to the joint chiefs, McRaven expressed some reservations about the move.
鈥淚 have concerns specific to [US Special Operations Command] that must be addressed prior to making an informed recommendation鈥� for bringing women into Special Forces operations, 鈥渕any of which are in austere, politically-sensitive environments for extended periods.鈥�
For this reason, the Special Operations Forces (SOF) have commissioned the RAND Corp. to do a 鈥渄on鈥檛 ask, don鈥檛 tell鈥� style survey to see聽how special operators feel about bringing women into the elite units, General Sacolick said.
So should special operators be permitted to nix the possibility of women serving in the Army Rangers or Navy SEALs if current operators are uncomfortable with the idea?
鈥淭hey鈥檝e got to embrace it,鈥� Sacolick responded, adding that elite SOF units operate in small, 鈥�12 man鈥� units, sometimes, as the only Americans serving in a foreign country.
While 鈥渞ank and file鈥� SOF troops have expressed 鈥渃oncerns鈥� about the move, it is the 鈥渧ocal minority鈥� that often expresses these views, Sacolick said, adding that he hopes the RAND survey will provide the 鈥渜uiet professionals鈥� with an 鈥渙utlet.鈥�
On a personal note, Sacolick added that he more concerned about the 鈥渃ultural, social, and behavioral 鈥� those aspects, of integration鈥� than the ability of women to meet physical standards
鈥淨uite frankly, I was encouraged by just the physical performance of some of the young girls鈥� training at Fort Bragg, N.C., the headquarters of Army Special Operations Command, he said, referring to the female troops who deploy to Afghanistan to work alongside SOF troops as cultural advisers.
Units within SOCOM are slated to report back in approximately one year 鈥� by July 1, 2014 鈥� with 鈥済ender-neutral鈥� occupational performance standards.
