Say Goodbye to Our Midshipmen

Political Correctness has reached the halls of Annapolis. Navy officials will consider doing away with the title “Midshipman” as they turn to language in an effort to fully integrate women into all levels of the service, including the Naval Academy.

The secretary of the Navy, issued a memo to the chief of naval operations on Jan. 1 "Please review the position titles throughout the Navy and ensure that they are gender-integrated ... removing 'man' from their titles." So what should it be? Midshiperson? Shipmate? Just mid? Cadet, the title for trainees at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, would be unthinkable, considering the rivalry between the schools.

Chief of Naval Operations assigned the Navy's master chief petty officer to establish a group that will, "canvass the fleet, talk with sailors to hear their thoughts and provide recommendations on feedback."

The term "midshipman" has been used since the 1600s, long predating the academy, which opened in 1845. The word originally referred to those who worked or slept in a specific area of a ship: amidships. It later came to be associated with officers in training.

Women first enlisted in the Navy in 1917, weeks before the United States entered World War I — as yeomen (F) or yeomanettes — as well as in the Marine Corps.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced in December that the military would welcome women into previously closed positions, including the Navy's remaining all-male units. Officials released a notice this fall announcing unisex headgear and garments for the fleet.

This year is the 40th anniversary of the integration of women at the academy, and women make up more than 25 percent of the officers in training, school officials said. Cmdr. John Schofield, an academy spokesman, said the school's officials did not consider altering the title when women first arrived.

What do I think? 
That’s easy – “Stop It. Enough is enough already!”

Fanatics and Extremists give me hives. I don’t care if you’re referring to religious zealots, racial radicals, political activists, or any other person or group obsessing over some cause or perceived insult.

Back in the mid-1970’s, I was a Police Officer in California. My department began recruiting women officers. At that time a lot of Feminists wanted the term Policeman and Fireman banded and replaced with Policeperson and Fireperson. Rather than argue the point, many people and organizations went along with that craziness. The average person, however, never bought into that nonsense and most people still commonly use the terms ‘policeman’ and ‘fireman’. Putting “man” at the end of a title is just an expression, not something intended to exclude women from participating. Referring to a person as “Human” does not mean that women are less homosapien than men are. Even the term “woman” ends in “man”. Should we be referring to girls as wo-persons’? 

Come on, let’s stop this political correctness paranoia and start telling these fanatics to get over themselves!

Even I was once an NROTC Midshipman at UC Berkeley

Live Long and Prosper...