Women of the Class of 2006 continue to make their mark.

The torch has been passed to a new gender and a new generation at the Coast Guard Academy. By extension, that torch has also been passed to the Coast Guard. That has consequences for America and the world.
Women in the Academy Class of 2006 conspired with Captain Doug Wisniewski to frame Cadet Webster Smith. Webster Smith was convicted and sent to jail. He is cooling his heels in the Navy Brig at Goose Creek, SC while some of his classmates were sent to cool their heels in the frozen Arctic aboard Coast Guard icebreakers.
Webster Smith was in the Class of 2006. So were Kristen Nicholson, Shelly Raudenbush and Cynthia Travers. Ensign Travers was assigned to the CGC Healy, an icebreaker stationed in Seattle, Washington. She joined three other female officers onboard the CGC Healy. Ensign Elizabeth Newton, Class of 2005 was onboard when Travers reported for duty. The Marine Science Officer and the Diving Officer was Lieutenant Jessica Hill. She was also the Morale Officer. Captain Doug Russell’s ward room had a large percentage of junior female officers.
After riding a desk at Coast Guard Headquarters, Captain Doug Russell, CGA Class of 1982, was chosen to command the CGC Healy. Rather than sail on the ship from Seattle, Washington, he chose to fly to the Arctic and take command of the Coast Guard’s newest and largest icebreaker. On 5 June 2006 at Dutch Harbor, Alaska Captain Doug Russell relieved Captain Dan Oliver, CGA Class of 1979, who had served 3 years as commanding officer. It would appear to be a bit unusual for a captain to take command in the middle of a patrol.
On or about 1 August Ensign Cynthia Travers qualified as a Junior Officer of the Deck and was certified by Captain Russell. On or about 17 August Lieutenant Jessica Hill and BM2 Steve Duque were killed in a routine diving operation.
Initially, the Coast Guard reported that the two entered the water to examine the ship's rudder, a common procedure as the ship operates in Arctic ice.

In a statement on the ship's Web site two days afterward, Russell said the accident occurred during a short break in operations:
"In taking advantage of our first real stop in ice in a month-plus of operations, we capitalized on the opportunity to conduct a dive operation," he wrote. "The dive took place at the bow of the ship in a small area of open water. The dive operation was going pretty much as planned when something happened under the water while Lt. Hill and BM2 Duque were underwater together.
Was this a recreational dive or a serious operational dive? Was it for the purpose of affording the crew a break in the drudgery of the daily routine?
What could have happened under water? Did they suffer a lack of oxygen? Were they using Navy Hardhat suits or scuba diving wetsuits with air tanks? The Navy Hardhat suit would require a lifeline and an air line connection between the diver and the ship. They would be able to talk and signal the second something dangerous or unusual occurred.
It seems unlikely that they were crushed between the ice and the ship or that they were mauled by polar bears, because such injuries cannot be improved by the type of medical attention that is available onboard the ship. Ship’s personnel tried emergency medical attention for over an hour.
The Captain further stated that "When a problem was detected by the personnel supporting the dive operation, the divers were retrieved from the water. Immediate medical attention was provided and they were evacuated to the ship quickly where revival efforts continued for over an hour through the superlative efforts of many." What kind of problem could he have been referring to? How was the problem detected? Was it detected right away? Was the onboard support team on the forecastle alert and attentive at all times? Did anyone leave their post for a moment to use the toilette or to attend to a personal matter?
Were Lt. Jessica Hill and BM2 Duque neglected for the briefest of time, but time enough for them to suffer a lack of oxygen or a loss of body heat? Those are the two most likely scenarios based on what has been divulged so far. Were their wetsuits and diving gear in peek condition?
If they were diving from the ship, then they would not have had to be evacuated to the ship. The message posted on the ship's website seems to imply that they were not diving from the ship. Nor were they tethered to the ship with any type of safety line or harness. When they entered the water, was it from a small boat or from a little bergie bit?
Other areas of inquiry would be who was on watch on the Bridge and in the Engine Room? Who had control of the ship’s engines? Was the ship moving forward or aft or drifting laterally in any way?
This so-called accident would better be described as a tragedy. The PROXIMATE CAUSE OF MOST SHIPBOARD TRAGEDIES IS HUMAN NEGLIGENCE, OR EQUIPMENT FAILURE DUE TO HUMAN NEGLIGENCE.

This is the big question, can too many female officers in strategic assignments on a vessel render the ship UNSEAWORTHY for 7 days out of 30? It would appear that it is quite possible because of the McClintock Effect. Women are supposed to be less rational and more emotional at the beginning of their menstrual cycle when the female hormone is at its lowest level. If every female officer on the ship is experiencing the same symptoms at the same time, the ship would be rendered unseaworthy. The lives of every member of the crew would be in danger.

Given the number of female officers onboard the Healy, could this possibly be a contributing factor to the deaths of the two divers? A look at the Chain of Command will show how the female officers were critically assigned. This does not show their special duty stations during special operations, such as diving operations.


The McClintock effect (also known as "Menstrual Synchrony") is the observed phenomenon that the menstrual cycles of women who live together (such as in prisons, convents, bordellos, dormitories, military academies etc.) will tend to become synchronized over time. The Coast Guard Academy, founded in 1876, is the smallest U.S. military academy with an enrollment of about 950 cadets. Women represent about 30 percent of Coast Guard Academy cadets, compared with less than 20 percent at the Air Force and Naval Academies and about 15 percent at West Point.


The phenomenon, sometimes referred to as the "social regulation of ovulation," was first formally studied by psychologist Martha McClintock, who reported her findings in Nature in 1971. It has also been noted in small animals such as mice and guinea pigs. Females affected will tend to follow the 'lead' of the alpha female.
Since the research on the McClintock effect is inconclusive, many important questions remain, such as why it evolved and how much pheromones and Jacobson's organ play a role. One possible explanation on why it evolved is: because it allows more males to mate and pass their genes. If only one female of the group was ready to mate at a time, the most probable outcome would be that only the more dominant male would have access to her.
It is apparent from research that some women at least synchronize after living together for a time. Yet others, in virtually identical living conditions, do not.
McClintock, Martha K., Menstrual Synchrony and Suppression. Nature. 229: 244-45, 1971.
Let me attempt to answer a question asked by Gloria Steinam of Ms. Magazine, If women are supposed to be less rational and more emotional at the
beginning of our menstrual cycle, when the female hormone is at its
lowest level, then why isn't it logical to say that in those few days
women... (are not fully capable of performing the duties of a ship’s officer in a dangerous situation with a very small margin for error?)
A look at the chain of command on the CGC Healy will show where female officers were strategically placed on the United States’ largest and most expensive icebreaking and scientific research vessel.
THE CHAIN OF COMMAND
THE COMMANDING OFFICER – Captain Douglas Russell
HEALY’s Commanding Officer (or CO) is completely responsible for the overall safety of the ship and crew, as well as the successful completion of HEALY's assigned missions.
CHIEF SCIENTIST
A Chief Scientist will coordinate science activities during a science cruise and act as the spokesperson for all science parties aboard. The Senior Scientists are your primary link with the Captain and should be kept informed of your progress and future requirements.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER – Commander Jeff Jackson
The Executive Officer (or XO) is second in command and is directly responsible to the CO for the day to day internal operations of the vessel.
OPERATIONS OFFICER – Lcdr Jim Dalitsch
The Operations Officer (OPS) is responsible to the XO/CO for the safe navigation of the vessel and coordination of all operations. Their areas of responsibility include supervising navigation, communications and all science operations.
MARINE SCIENCE OFFICER – Lt. Jessica Hill, also The Diving Officer, and the Morale Officer.
The Marine Science Officer (MSO) is the direct supervisor of the Marine Science Technicians (MST). To that end, they serves as a point of contact for handling needs/concerns regarding the efforts of the MSTs.
DWO- Deck Watch Officers, Ensign Cynthia Travers and Ensign Elizabeth Newton.
Also in the Ward Room, Chief Warrant Officer Maria Kirby.
How many more deaths will it take before we stop assigning officers according to political correctness? Buoy tenders and harbor patrol vessels are less dangerous than icebreakers.
Was the death of Lt. Jessica Hill and BM2 Duque a wake-up call? Icebreakers and high endurance cutters deploy for long periods of time. They travel to remote and hostile environments. The margins for error in judgment and performance are very small. The risk of fatality is much greater.