Pregnancy is a courtmartialling offence;

[Stella_Omega]

While we are on that subject;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8422989.stm

A US Army general in northern Iraq has defended his decision to add pregnancy to the list of reasons a soldier under his command could face court martial.

It is current army policy to send pregnant soldiers home, but Maj Gen Anthony Cucolo told the BBC he was losing people with critical skills.

That was why the added deterrent of a possible court martial was needed, he said.

The new policy applies both to female and male soldiers, even if married.

It is the first time the US Army has made pregnancy a punishable offence.

Gen Cucolo told the BBC it was a "black and white" issue for him.

He said married soldiers in combat zones should either put their love lives on hold - or take precautions.

"I've got a mission to do, I'm given a finite number of soldiers with which to do it and I need every one of them."

"So I'm going to take every measure I can to keep them all strong, fit and with me for the twelve months we are in the combat zone," he said.

It rather illustrates the point I was making, that a woman may wish to consider herself and her possibilities, separate from her biological function.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

The US ARMY plays by special rules, dear. It aint summer camp. No 40 hour work weeks, no time and a half, you cant quit.

 

[Stella_Omega]

well yeah, jimmy, that's the point.

If you are a soldier, being a soldier is more important than being pregnant. You can't have it both ways.

 

[JackLuis]

Does this mean that the male will get punished as much as the pregnant female? If so the General will loose two 'men" for each pregnancy. Sounds stupid to me.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Does this mean that the male will get punished as much as the pregnant female? If so the General will loose two 'men" for each pregnancy. Sounds stupid to me.

Perhaps, but it's equal treatment under the law and that is an important point.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Does this mean that the male will get punished as much as the pregnant female? If so the General will loose two 'men" for each pregnancy. Sounds stupid to me.

I'm sure it does seem stupid to you because you toss the army in with making donuts and doing nails.

 

[Stella_Omega]

This might make the males a little more careful about birth control themselves.

And I wonder when someone will speak the dreaded "A" word in the context of women who should not be pregnant during a period of an overriding commitment.

Might one's duty to one's country be more important, temporarily, than one's biological baby-making function? Women soldiers should have a semi-permanent birth control as part of their equipment, but sometimes even such methods fail. I think there needs to be a clear and preexisiting understanding that abortion is mandatory under those circumstances...

 

[voluptuary_manque]

This might make the males a little more careful about birth control themselves.

And that might just be what the General is thinking. Hmmm?

 

[3113]

Yet another reason to allow gays in the military. No accidental chance of pregnancy between even married couples.

 

[Huckleman2000]

Yet another reason to allow gays in the military. No accidental chance of pregnancy between even married couples.

ROFL! Isn't logic fun when you apply it to the military?

 

[Handley_Page]

The old play title "No sex, please, we're British" was never more important than today in Sandy parts. Not only is sex "prohibited", it carries a severe sentence for both parties caught.

Perhaps the USA ladies should have the Pill freely available with their breakfast and a Morning After pill on demand ?

 

[Stella_Omega]

The old play title "No sex, please, we're British" was never more important than today in Sandy parts. Not only is sex "prohibited", it carries a severe sentence for both parties caught.

Perhaps the USA ladies should have the Pill freely available with their breakfast and a Morning After pill on demand ?

It's not having sex that causes the problem, it's letting oneself get pregnant when one has other duties to perform first.

Yes, women soldiers should have birth control-- mandated. And yes, morning after pills, and D&C as a backup.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

It's not having sex that causes the problem, it's letting oneself get pregnant when one has other duties to perform first.

Yes, women soldiers should have birth control-- mandated. And yes, morning after pills, and D&C as a backup.

Actually, they may, at least so far as the first two. But it's been so long since I was on Active Duty that I haven't a clue as to the situation. And I don't know anyone who is Active right now to even ask.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

I'm wondering what these "special skills" are the General is so pissed off about. Lap Dances? Or is he just pissed because he didn't get to hit that good stuff?

 

[Stella_Omega]

I'm wondering what these "special skills" are the General is so pissed off about. Lap Dances? Or is he just pissed because he didn't get to hit that good stuff?

The man actually values his female soldiers as something more than meat factories, and you try to take a dump on him.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

The best and most insidious interrogators the Army has are women. Those macho'ed out Taliban have no defense against them. They never need to lay a finger on the idiots and all interrogations take place under the Rules of Land Warfare but they still get everything the command needs. Women also notice things about villages men miss. No, Jenny, my sword sisters were all soldier and any one of them could stand at my left and I'd be proud to have them there.

 

[JackLuis]

I can appreciate the Generals position, females getting pregnant to get out of the war zone, there had to be a lot of pressure from the officer corps, resentment by males who couldn't use that ploy.
Birth control, artificial or natural should be SOP for females in a war zone.

and Jimmy:

I'm sure it does seem stupid to you because you toss the army in with making donuts and doing nails.

Kiss my ass fat man.

 

[vrosej10]

This to me shows that the introduction of females into combat was not well thought out (I am believe that women should be able to join the military and fight along side men, so don't misread this comment).

 

[Stella_Omega]

This to me shows that the introduction of females into combat was not well thought out (I am believe that women should be able to join the military and fight along side men, so don't misread this comment).

I agree, vrose, and I am not surprised by it either-- given our nations insane prudery about sexuality.

 

[vrosej10]

I agree, vrose, and I am not surprised by it either-- given our nations insane prudery about sexuality.

That's what always gets a lot of us who don't live in the USA. On the world stage, you lot are seen as the biggest perveyors of smut, but up close, you huge prudes....

 

[Stella_Omega]

That's what always gets a lot of us who don't live in the USA. On the world stage, you lot are seen as the biggest perveyors of smut, but up close, you huge prudes....

it's so embarrassing!

 

[Guest]

deleted

 

[vrosej10]

I'm not a prude up close.

Far away, either.

Generalising. Talking about the nation as a mass, not at the individual level. Sorry if I offended you.

 

[Guest]

deleted

 

[jacks4u]

I was in the military. Non-combat, Peacetime. Early 80's. Had a buddy that loved to ski. Our duty was more like a factory workers, 8 hours a day unless the base was on alert, Weekends to do whatever we pleased, unless otherwise assigned. My buddy went on a weekend skiing trip and broke his leg in a bad fall. Got courtmarshaled for 'failure to repair' or 'failure to maintain'. some shit like that.

Bottom line is, male or female, in the military your body is not yours to do with as you please. When push comes to shove, you better be able to do the job required, as trained and tested. Not hobbling around on crutches. Not carrying an unborn civilian. Not Dependant on illegal drugs.