Set for Combat Role, Women Say : Navy: Males and females debate issue before presidential commission.

LOS ANGELES — Two female Navy pilots decried testimony Thursday by male aviators that putting women in the cockpit would destroy the effectiveness of combat squadrons.

Lt. Silvia Rivadeneira, a cargo aircraft pilot based at North Island Naval Air Station, said she is tired of hearing such old-boy network remarks.

“The point I resent the most is that anyone thinks a woman would show unwillingness to die at the time of combat,” she said.

She bristled at earlier testimony by male pilots who said they couldn’t criticize a woman the same way they would a man.

“Shame on that leadership. He made not have been able to yell at me, but I certainly would have yelled at him,” she said.

Lt. Brenda Sheufele, who has trained pilots in various aircraft, said she overcame some initial resentment by her male peers.

“The men that I work with don’t equate me with gender type. I’m their squadron mate. I fly the missions. I can fly with any of them,” said Sheufele, who is based at Miramar Naval Air Station, home of the “Top Gun” school.

They spoke at the opening session of a three-day hearing before the Presidential Commission on the Assignment of Women in the Armed Forces, held at the Century Plaza Hotel.

Fifteen commissioners are examining the role of women in the military and whether they should be assigned combat roles. A final report is due on President Bush’s desk by Nov. 15.

There are currently 58,000 women in the Navy, about 10% of all personnel. Women are not allowed to fly combat aircraft or serve aboard combat ships.

The commission was formed before the Tailhook Assn. convention in Las Vegas last year in which Navy aviators were accused of accosting women, fellow officers.

Sheufele said most of the Navy squadrons she can advance to will be phased out by next year because of budget cuts.

“If we don’t integrate soon I’m gone,” she said.

Male aviators told the panel that it would be difficult if not impossible to put women in the cockpit of combat aircraft.

Lt. John Claget, an F-18 fighter pilot who flew bombing missions during Operation Desert Storm, said he doesn’t doubt that there are women who can fly fighter jets in combat. But he said it would be difficult integrating them into all-male squadrons.

“When a guy’s made an obvious mistake, he will get a finger in the chest. It’s very personal. He’s warned that if he makes that mistake again he’s gonna die, we’re all gonna die,” Claget said. “I am not able to give that direct feedback to a woman.”

Cmdr. Bob McLane said his behavior is different around a woman.

“When I talk to her I think a little differently. I’m more careful. I don’t think sexual harassment is in the frontal lobes, but it’s back there somewhere,” said McLane, an F-14 Tomcat pilot.

Submariners expressed mixed sentiments on whether women should be added to crews. Some said that placing women in such close quarters would cause added psychological stress on the crew that may hinder wartime performance. No women serve on U.S. subs.

“It’s already very stressful,” said Master Chief Steve Kyle, a crewman on the San Diego-based attack sub Gurnard. “Then, to have young guys with their hormones in disarray, you throw another factor in there. That’s a major distraction.”

Lt. Cmdr. Eric R. Anderson of the Bangor, Wash.-based ballistic missile sub Alaska said there is no reason to exclude women from submarine duty.

“After getting over the initial emotional response, which will be hard to get over, the crew would go on,” Anderson said.

Master Chief Bob Bren of the Bangor-based ballistic missile sub Georgia said it would be discriminatory if women were allowed on other combat missions but prohibited from working submarine combat duty.

“There’s no job aboard a sub that a woman can’t do,” Bren said.