General defends court martial for pregnant soldiers

[BlaqueKatt]

Does anyone else see the potential issues from demanding the impregnators name from the pregnant woman? I can see men saying "SHHH! Dont say it was me!" and threatening/commiting violence. Or some women naming the wrong individuals to save others, or get someone else in trouble. Im hoping it doesnt come to that.

um the military has every enlisted member's DNA on file-so yeah not really possible to do that....

[Nyoibo]

Military DNA registry is only for the identification of dead soldiers though, not allowed to use it for anything else.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[Tanasi]

Military DNA registry is only for the identification of dead soldiers though, not allowed to use it for anything else.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

You are correct.

I got out before they started that crap, but it's a good idea that I support. At one time the only way two buddies were IDed guys was a blood typing test.

[MergedLoki]

depends if they were on base or deployed or whatever WHEN they got pregnant. Thats a big thing.

I have a buddy in the army (canadian military but i gotta imagine they've got similar standards for pregnancy) and he basically said that if you're a female and on base/deployed (so on duty not on leave etc.) and you get pregnant your fucked over. (ok he used a little better descriptive words than that but hey it gets the point across).

[Amina516]

um the military has every enlisted member's DNA on file-so yeah not really possible to do that....

Its always possible to lie, doesnt mean itd never be found out and rectified.

[MadMike]

Reading this article, it's made plain that a CM was intended as the final, worst punishment, and that the General in question didn't intend to give any, though he apparently wanted the option open.

Or the backlash got to be too much for him, and now he's backpeddling.

[Stormraven]

The article seems to bear him out. There have been no CMs, only administrative actions. And, from what I understand, most of those were no worse than a letter in the personnel file.

I don't support what he did - it held the potential for a really big bomb - but, as with so many such policies, the intent behind it doesn't seem to have been vicious.

[Vagabond]

I've read a little about that policy - and I think it's dumb. I have been deployed a few times so bear with me as I attempt to explain myself.
There are women who don't want to deploy. Those women are usually smart enough to get pregnant before they deploy, so they do not have to deploy. Fair enough - if you don't want to go, we don't want you there. Get out of deploying before you are already deployed.
Now, deployments I've been on for 6 months were generally "No alcohol, no porn, no sex". However, the rules have changed somewhat slightly. Last I heard (Never saw it in writing, so I have no proof for you all) was "No alcohol, no porn, no adultery". I think that is also fair - adultery is something that is already a Court Martial offence and I see no reason for that to change.
But Court Martialing people for having sex? Excuse me, but 12+ months with none/few of the usual stress-relievers around to blow off steam and energy. That is a recipe for disaster. Where I've been - you've had the option of going to a gym to work out, maybe a book (if you brought one) or movie (that you've already seen umpteen times), or mail from home. So, imagine you've worked 14+ hours a day for the past 6/7 days a week, 8 months, it's 100+ degrees (Fahrenheit) outside, and you're feeling cooped up, far from home and friends and family, it's a special day (the holidays or a birthday) and you're all alone. I think people need escape valves on occassions like that.
If they are both unmarried, consenting adults. I do not see the issue. Adults should be smart enough to figure out how to use a condom and/or when she's fertile.
Yes, pregnancies may happen, but then so do people getting run over by forklifts and/or other heavy machinery. Personally, I'd rather someone get pregnant than a broken leg.

[Nyoibo]

See it's the no porn thing that I don't understand, how does that affect your ability to perform your job?

[fireheart17]

See it's the no porn thing that I don't understand, how does that affect your ability to perform your job?

I'm guessing that it's a distraction. TOo much porn....and well....injuries occur. (don't ask me how I know all of this.....)

[Nyoibo]

I'm guessing that it's a distraction. TOo much porn....and well....injuries occur. (don't ask me how I know all of this.....)

Now that's just begging for someone to ask.

[Vagabond]

Why no porn -
I was deployed in muslim nations and we didn't want to offend the locals or your co-workers (male and/or female).

[Gerrinson]

Regarding the females naming someone other than the actual father to protect him, I have only two words: Paternity test.

I think that making a false accusation, which is easily disproven by modern medicine, would just make the situation worse. I'm sure there's someone out there stupid enough to open that can of worms, but I think that's likely to come back to haunt them.