US Navy SEALs go gender neutral: References to 'brotherhood' and 'man' are removed from its official ethos to include more gender neutral terms such as 'warrior' and 'citizen'
The Navy has removed gendered words including 'brotherhood' and 'man' from its official SEAL ethos, changing them to 'citizen' and 'warrior'.
Alterations have also been made in the Special Warfare Combatant Crewmen (SWCC) creed, American Military News reports.
One change in the first paragraph of the SEAL ethos now reads: 'I am that warrior.' It had read: 'I am that man.' Another states: 'Common citizens with uncommon desire to succeed.' That did say: 'A common man with uncommon desire to succeed.'
In the ethos, 'The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men' has been changed to 'the ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from others'.
And 'brave men' has been amended to read 'brave SEALs.'
In the SWCC creed 'brotherhood' was switched to a 'group of maritime warriors.' In another sentence 'brothers' in changed to 'them'.
The Navy has removed gendered words including 'brotherhood' and 'man' from its official SEAL ethos, changing them to 'citizen' and 'warrior'. Navy SEALs pictured in 2019
Former SEAL Gallagher appeared to share a picture of an August 3 memo sent by military officials on the pronoun changes. It shows Rear Adm. Collin Green approved the changes
The move sparked fury from disgraced ex SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who labeled it 'a joke'. Gallagher was was acquitted of murdering the ISIS prisoner following a high-profile trial which saw Donald Trump wade into the debate.
Naval Special Warfare spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Stroup said: 'The previous versions of the SEAL Ethos and SWCC Creed were written prior to the law allowing women to serve as operators in Naval Special Warfare.'
Stroup added: 'The changes do not in any way reflect lowering standards of entry, rather they ensure that all those who meet the requirements to train to become a SEAL or SWCC are represented in the ethos or creed they live out.
'This improves the posture of the NSW force by ensuring we draw from the greatest pool of talent available.'
In 2015, then Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered the military to open all military jobs to women, including the most dangerous commando posts.
The move allowed women to serve in the most demanding and difficult jobs, including as special operations forces, such as the Army Delta units and Navy SEALs.
No women have so far completed the SEAL or SWCC qualifications after a rule change allowing their entry in 2015. Stroup said: 'To date, no women completed the SEAL or SWCC qualification training pipelines.'
Former SEAL Gallagher appeared to share a picture of an August 3 memo sent by military officials on the pronoun changes. It shows Rear Adm. Collin Green approved the changes.
The move sparked fury from disgraced ex SEAL Eddie Gallagher, who labeled the move 'a joke'. Gallagher was was acquitted of murdering the ISIS prisoner following a high-profile trial which saw Donald Trump wade into the debate
Green wrote: 'The SEAL Ethos and SWCC Creed are our community's bedrock guidance. In order to provide more inclusive language, we have revised them to better reflect our diverse ranks now and into the future.'
Gallagher was acquitted of indiscriminately firing at civilians and murdering an ISIS prisoner in Iraq in 2017. He was only convicted for posing for a photo with the teen's body.
As a result of posing for a picture with the dead teen, Gallagher was de-ranked in July 2019. However Donald Trump later restored him to Chief Petty Officer. He is now retired.
Sharing a note on the pronoun changes Gallagher wrote: 'What a joke. To be honest I thought the ethos was always BS. Now I know it is.
'A creed or ethos is supposed to be written in stone, obviously ours is not and will sway to whatever political agenda is being put out.'
In July of this year a female soldier graduated from the Army's elite Special Forces course to join one of the all-male Green Beret teams for the first time ever.
The unidentified woman was one of three female soldiers who had been going through the Army Special Forces qualification course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
She graduated on July and donned her Green Beret, along with about 400 other soldiers. Defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters have confirmed that she is a member of the National Guard.
Lt. Gen. Fran Beaudette, commander of Army Special Operations Command, presided over the ceremony and was able to say, for the first time, that 'our Green Beret men and women will forever stand in the hearts of free people everywhere.'
'From here, you will go forward and join the storied formation of the Green Berets where you will do what you are trained to do: challenge assumptions, break down barriers, smash through stereotypes, innovate, and achieve the impossible,' he said.
The SEAL program tests participants' physical and psychological strength along with water competency and leadership skills. It starts at the Naval station in Great Lakes, Illinois and typically ends 65 weeks later with graduation in Coronado, across the bay from San Diego
The SEAL program tests participants' physical and psychological strength along with water competency and leadership skills.
It starts at the Naval station in Great Lakes, Illinois and typically ends 65 weeks later with graduation in Coronado, across the bay from San Diego.
Each graduate is awarded the special warfare insignia known as the Trident that denotes membership in the elite fighting force: The pin features a golden eagle wrapped around a U.S. Navy anchor, while clutching a three-prong trident, and a flintlock style pistol.
The program is so grueling that 75 per cent of candidates drop out by the end of the first month in phase one. That's when trainees undergo what is known as Hell Week when recruits are pushed to the limit with little sleep.
No comments