Pregnant? Then you face being court-martialed...

[BVS]

Washington (CNN) -- A new order from the general in charge of northern Iraq makes getting pregnant or impregnating a fellow soldier an offense punishable by court-martial.

The directive, part of a larger order restricting the behavior of the 22,000 soldiers under Gen. Anthony Cucolo's command, is meant to prevent losing soldiers at a time when troop strength is stretched thin, Cucolo explained in a statement sent to the troops under his command and provided to CNN.



U.S. soldiers in Iraq could face courts-martial for getting pregnant - CNN.com

 

[floridita727]

this shit is getting out of hand. for real.

 

[phillyfan26]

Last week, I was downtown between classes and needed to grab a quick bite to eat, so I went to my local Five Guys. Right next door to that is an Army recruitment center. As I walked up to go inside, a recruiting officer opened the door of the recruitment center and admonished me for "going in there and not in here." When I laughed at his apparent joke, he told me, "You can eat later. You should be here." Deadpan. Completely serious. I silently entered the restaurant.

 

[melon]

It's about time someone cracks down on heterosexuality in the military.

 

[bigjohn2441]

Last week, I was downtown between classes and needed to grab a quick bite to eat, so I went to my local Five Guys. Right next door to that is an Army recruitment center. As I walked up to go inside, a recruiting officer opened the door of the recruitment center and admonished me for "going in there and not in here." When I laughed at his apparent joke, he told me, "You can eat later. You should be here." Deadpan. Completely serious. I silently entered the restaurant.

wow, he would've gotten a "go fuck yourself" from me.

 

[coolian2]

wow, he would've gotten a "go fuck yourself" from me.

he probably had guns. i can understand being silent.

although i'd also have told him to go fuck himself.

 

[bigjohn2441]

he probably had guns. i can understand being silent.

although i'd also have told him to go fuck himself.

thats ok, id have 1 on me too

 

[coolian2]

thats ok, id have 1 on me too

they probably wouldn't let you into five guys after that

 

[melon]

Military recruiters, as I've read, are under a lot of pressure to perform, so I'm not surprised that some are resorting to unconventional, albeit heavy-handed measures. The respectful thing to do is probably to ignore them, if you're uninterested.

 

[maycocksean]

The respectful thing to do is probably to ignore them, if you're uninterested.

Yep, same way you would street hawkers in Bali. Don't make eye contact and keep moving.

 

[UberBeaver]

Last week, I was downtown between classes and needed to grab a quick bite to eat, so I went to my local Five Guys. Right next door to that is an Army recruitment center. As I walked up to go inside, a recruiting officer opened the door of the recruitment center and admonished me for "going in there and not in here." When I laughed at his apparent joke, he told me, "You can eat later. You should be here." Deadpan. Completely serious. I silently entered the restaurant.

Sounds like he was insulting your ability to impregnate women, man. Ouch.

 

[2861U2]

Military recruiters, as I've read, are under a lot of pressure to perform, so I'm not surprised that some are resorting to unconventional, albeit heavy-handed measures. The respectful thing to do is probably to ignore them, if you're uninterested.

Exactly. Reading that multiple people in this thread would have told the recruiter to "go f*** himself" is incredibly unattractive, in my opinion. Unless, of course, they're lying here and would never be that unbelievably rude and disgusting in real life. I sure hope it's the latter.

 

[phillyfan26]

I don't know. My cousin from the west coast married a recruiting officer. The first time I met him, he gave me his card so that I could call his recruiting center. Just because I was about to turn 18. I mean, we're fucking family now, give it a rest.

 

[Jive Turkey]

Exactly. Reading that multiple people in this thread would have told the recruiter to "go f*** himself" is incredibly unattractive, in my opinion. Unless, of course, they're lying here and would never be that unbelievably rude and disgusting in real life. I sure hope it's the latter.

You dont think the recruitment officer was also incredibly rude? What if it was a gym owner who said the same thing? Why does the recruitment guy get special privileges?

 

[AliEnvy]

You dont think the recruitment officer was also incredibly rude? What if it was a gym owner who said the same thing? Why does the recruitment guy get special privileges?

Maybe I missed something...what did the recruitment officer do that was rude?

 

[Jive Turkey]

Maybe I missed something...what did the recruitment officer do that was rude?

Judging someone who was minding his own business

 

[AliEnvy]

^ Meh, maybe it feels like judgement if you feel guilty about patriotic duty, otherwise I read it as just a sales tactic - not even a hard sell really.

 

[deep]

What if it was a gym owner who said the same thing? Why does the recruitment guy get special privileges?

Obesity rates here in America,
gym owners pitching outside of fastfood joints.

 

[Jive Turkey]

Its got nothing to do with guilt

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

General: No trials of pregnant soldiers in Iraq - Military- msnbc.com

 

[coolian2]

patriotic duty

oh jesus christ

 

[phillyfan26]

^ Meh, maybe it feels like judgement if you feel guilty about patriotic duty, otherwise I read it as just a sales tactic - not even a hard sell really.

Really?

 

[The_Pac_Mule]

As for the pregnancy issue, Newsflash: The military likes strict discipline.

 

[BVS]

As for the pregnancy issue, Newsflash: The military likes strict discipline.

You don't think this goes a little beyond "strict discipline"? If you suprisingly get pregnant by your husband while on a leave, you think a court martial is justified? Also don't you think this would encourage abortion for those that are looking to be career military?

 

[The_Pac_Mule]

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – The U.S. military commander in northern Iraq defended on Tuesday a new policy imposing strict penalties, including possible jail time, for troops who become pregnant or get other soldiers pregnant.

"In this 22,000-soldier task force, I need every soldier I've got, especially since we are facing a drawdown of forces during our mission," Major General Tony Cucolo, who commands U.S. soldiers in northern Iraq, said in a statement.

Cucolo's new directive, issued last month when he took command, lays out a long list of activities that could lead to court martial or criminal charges, from gambling to stealing historical artifacts, and applies only to his command.

The clause about pregnancy has garnered the most attention, affecting seven soldiers under Cucolo's command, according to military spokesman Major Jeff Allen. The command includes 1,682 female soldiers, Allen said.

There are some 115,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, a number set to drop to about 50,000 by the end of August next year as the U.S. military ends combat operations. Under a deal with Iraq, a full withdrawal of U.S. troops is due by the end of 2011.

U.S. Central Command rules do not prohibit "sexual contact between consenting, single servicemembers."

"I wanted to encourage my soldiers to think before they acted, and understand their behavior and actions have consequences -- all of their behavior.
"I consider the male soldier as responsible for taking a soldier out of the fight just as responsible as the female soldier who must redeploy," Cucolo said.

Allen said Cucolo "takes each case on its own merits, considering each set of circumstances before deciding on punishment."

He said such punishment could, in the most serious case, include jail time. But soldiers violating the rule so far have received letters of reprimand.

In a statement to ABC News, Cucolo said he would not resort to using the court martial for such cases.

"I see absolutely no circumstance where I would punish a female soldier by court martial for a violation ... I fully intend to handle these cases through lesser disciplinary action," he wrote, according to the ABC report.
(Reporting by Missy Ryan; editing by Tim Pearce)

People are overreacting.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Court martial would be too harsh. On the other hand, if you decide to join the military and go on combat duty, with all the special training and responsibilities involved, then it shouldn't be too much to ask for you to make up your mind beforehand if you want to become a parent, too. The military structure is different than the averagy job where a parent could go on maternity/paternity leave and then easily come back. And today it's really all but impossible to prevent a pregnancy. So during your deployment I think it's not too much to ask of you not to become pregnant.
Especially given here that still every case gets inspected on its own.

 

[Liesje]

Why not offer an incentive for not getting pregnant?

I don't see the point of this rule. Seems like there is too much gray and too difficult to enforce. There are many people that object to abortion on religious grounds, how does this factor in? What if someone is raped, or *gasp* married? And if it really is people screwing around, how do you find the father and punish him as well?

 

[floridita727]

People are overreacting.

Yes & No.
Even though this commander only has control over his own task force he's still utilizing fear tactics. And who's to say that another commander wont adopt the same policy but implement it more forcefully? I support the troops, but I think the way the US government treats our soldiers leaves a lot to be desired.
On the topic of the recruiting officers, I saw a doucmentay (sry cant recall the name) about this on HBO a few mos. ago & it was sad. The job is very similar to entry level sales & their superiors put so much pressure on them. There was one army officer & he was not up on his quota like the rest in his office & he seemed so defeated. If you didnt meet your quota & their expectations there was a possibility that you would be transferred back into combat. So you have these soldiers who've done a number of tours in Iraq/Afghanistan & they are desperate. They dont want to go back. I'm not sympathizing with them being so rude but after seeing that I see why some act that way.

 

[Liesje]

Yes & No.
Even though this commander only has control over his own task force he's still utilizing fear tactics. And who's to say that another commander wont adopt the same policy but implement it more forcefully? I support the troops, but I think the way the US government treats our soldiers leaves a lot to be desired.

Sounds like it leaves the door wide open for all sorts of sexual harrassment, that threat and use of power.

IMO, military people devote their lives and careers for our country and our security, they deserve the SAME rights as me!!

 

[AliEnvy]

Really?

I was responding to JT's comment about the recruitment officer's judgement of you minding your own business. What was judgemental about it unless it was viewed that he was trying (badly) to appeal to some sense of patriotic duty to serve ? I didn't see it as judgement, I saw a desperate (and soft)sales pitch.

Did you feel judged?

And btw, can we just get rid of women in the military already. For fuckssakes, way too complicated.

Bring back the draft and there won't be a recruitment problem or an epidemic of PTSD due to redeployments. Yay!