I don't think the anti LGBT...whatever it is now, sentiment is as high across the military as Shane's estimate. I expect north of 50%, maybe well north. Maybe not. Probably higher in Army and Corps, less so in navy and USAF. But as high as it is, not for the reasons you may think, it has little to do with any single individual, but more with the "overhead" involved. Just one more, non-mission essential, factor to deal with. Those add up quickly. I don't buy "the chance to serve" bit. If you want to serve, with much greater impact, go teach in an impoverished school district. I was out of the surface navy before women were on ships. However, my friends and classmates who went on to command at sea, have little good to say about the pregnancy rate during preps and training to deploy. Again, just another perturbation not faced in the "traditional" service make up. Having said that, the term "friggin in the riggin" has been around a long, long time. Yikes.
Hadnt thought about the pregnancies. Not saying I condone it but seems like a female in that place in her life would have access to a morning after pill- if they had that then.
Dropping a bar of soap in the Pentagon Officers Athletic Club (POAC) was a trip. Army and Air Force officers would kick the bar to a corner and pick it up discretely. Navy officers would just bend over and pick the bar up. Marines would not bother taking a shower! Just sayin'!
As I said earlier, I don't think women should serve on ships or subs. Even in the desert there are issues. Rape statistics are ridiculous compared to society at large. And women tend to suffer PTSD at much higher rates than men.
Have you heard about the vast number of sexual assaults that go unsolved on cruise ships. Off topic but being cruises sometimes end up in different jurisdictions or international waters and causes confusion on who it should be reported to and often go unsolved.
