CNO Visits Groton...

...and talks about submarine production rates, appointing submariners to new positions, and (gasp!) women on submarines:

"Mullen seemed rather disarming when dealing with a standing-room-only crowd in Wilkinson Hall at the base for his all hands meeting. When a particularly sensitive topic came up — a young female sailor asked whether women will ever be on submarines — he turned to the men whispering in the back of the room with a raised eyebrow and intoned, “murmur, murmur,” evoking a chuckle from the crowd.
He noted that one of the submarine community's own, Adm. Frank L. “Skip” Bowman, the retired head of Naval Reactors, said a few years ago that he expects women will serve on and command submarines in the not-too-distant future.
Some of the career submariners said it's an answer that all sides can live with, leaving open the possibility to those who support the initiative, and putting opponents on notice that they have some time to figure out how to make it work.
“I think that's out there,” Mullen said.
“Is it going to happen tomorrow?” he added. “I don't think it's going to happen tomorrow.”

Anyway, it's a really good article, so check it out and discuss among yourselves while I'm at work; I might have some more comments later tonight.