Yes they can depending on the Rating (job) they choose. If they are SeaBees who do construction in the middle of it all or in disaster areas or a Corpsman who is with a Marine unit or a SEAL who is with that command. Plus in the Navy today there is a thing called IA - Individual Augmentee where individuals are sent to Marine and Army units in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, etc... and work with them. It could be an RP helping a Chaplain, it could be a LS doing supply or postal work, it could be a OS doing something else. Anyone in the Navy, male or female, Enlisted or Officer can go IA for up to 12 months. Things can also happen while at sea, they can be in situations where there is fighting in the middle of it all, especially in certain areas with pirates.