at play that resulted in the loss of the women’s previously demonstrated skill so that they “fired their weapons with less accuracy” than their male counterparts? Some part of the study and/or playing field isn’t level. —Maj. Patricia A. Byrne, USMC (Ret) via email
I was one of those pioneer women of 38 years ago, assigned to the tenders and repair ships. It seems quaint now but was a very big deal then. There was pushback, struggle, and some very heavy rolls. There was also accom- plishment. We knew we had to per- form well so that women coming after us would have more chances than we did afloat. I stormed past every male barrier I could when I was young. Now I’m an old woman, and I have
this to say: Men need and deserve a place that is theirs alone. From an- cient times, male physical courage, strength, and honor have been vital to humanity. That male place may very well be combat arms. —Lt. Cmdr. Margaret A. Macdonald, USN (Ret) via email
Undersea Safety Reading about the Undersea Rescue Command [“When Subs Go Down”] in your March issue brought back memories of USS Sargo’s (SSN-583) trip to the North Pole in 1960. I was not a member of the crew but aboard on [temporary additional duty] orders. We traversed the frozen Bering Strait midwinter and surfaced at the Pole and proved that operations were pos- sible year-round in the Arctic Ocean. On our return trip, while approach-
ing the Straits, we collided with a very deep ice ridge. With the shock of the
MAY 2017 MILITARY OFFICER 11
blow and the collision alarm ringing in my ears, it certainly entered my head that if we were unable to proceed on our own, we were in for a long, slow ordeal that would probably end in the loss of the entire crew. Through the skill of the crew and the leadership of Commander Nich- olson (VADM), we were able to find a polynya, surface, and effect the neces- sary repairs that allowed us to contin- ue our trip home to Pearl Harbor. —Lt. j.g. Charles D. Kircher, USN (Ret) Life Member via email
Advocacy Advice I encourage MOAA to more aggres- sively lobby for the repeal of the SBP/DIC offset, known as the “wid-
ows tax.” This is an egregious and confiscatory penalty on surviving spouses and impacts about 63,000 widows who are survivors of deceased veterans. This needs to be addressed this year, as the current special com- pensation payment is only authorized to Oct. 1, 2018. Now is the time to re- peal the offset once and for all. —Brig. Gen. J.M. AuBuchon, USA(Ret) Life Member, Kaw Valley (Kan.) Chapter via email
Correction: In the March 2017 Com- munity Source, Front Porch Communi- ties should have been included with the California listings.
For submission information, see page 4.
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