Posted on 10/24/2003 2:37:15 PM PDT by John Jorsett
The navy has now had women aboard ships for over twenty years, and next year it will be ten years since women were allowed to serve on warships (but not subs). Lessons have been learned. A few women in a crew can cause problems, but once about twenty percent of the crew is female, most of the problems disappear. But there are still problems. Although there is not supposed to be any sexual activity between male and female sailors, there is. At any given time, 15-20 percent of female sailors are pregnant. It's not unusual for ships on long cruises to have up to a third of their female sailors get pregnant. The navy does nothing to deal with birth control (other than declare seagoing sex a no-no) and the sailors (usually the female sailors) make their own arrangements, or not, as the case may be. Officers have found that some women will get pregnant before a ship or unit is to be deployed overseas. But there are men who will also try to arrange an injury or some other event that will keep them at home. Goldbricks, as they are called, are found in both genders. It's just that the women have another angle they can work. Many of the pregnant sailors are not married, and often have the kid and remain unmarried. The military is very good to single mothers, although this provides additional headaches for commanders who must deal with single parents who are having problems taking care of the kids while still doing their duty.
Bunk! They offered my son's "flame" a free abortion or separation from the Navy.
Early release of pregnant women is costing the Navy VERY BIG bucks due to training expenses that are wasted due to early separation.
I don't know anyone who uses the term 'Goldbrick' anymore. The crime is known as malingering - injuring oneself so as to avoid military duties. Pregnancy is not classified as an illness or negative medical condition.
UCMJ Article 115: Malingering
Any person subject to this chapter who for the purpose of avoiding work, duty, or service”—
(1) feigns illness, physical disablement, mental lapse or derangement; or
(2) intentionally inflicts self-injury; shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
For years callous souls have fought to find a way to include pregnant women in this group. But stop and think for a moment if we want a government that considers pregnancy a disability or injury. If we are to respect life in all it's forms we must accept that this is simply one of the costs of an integrated military. To punish those who intentionally or unintentionally become pregnant while on active duty will only encourage abortions by these young ladies in order to avoid detection (This was a compelling reason for the Academies to reconsider their pregnancy policies also).
Having served on an integrated crew I can tell you that there was no loss of efficiency and that my female sailors served in every conceivable capacity with skill, bravery, and aplomb.
Last I checked, use of appropriated funds for abortion was a violation of Federal Law. I kinda doubt this assertion.
No. They should just stop inducting women into the service.
It costs far, far more to keep that soldier/sailor and have them unavailable when you need them.
I agree. That is why the Navy is in a lose/lose situation with regard to women.
Far cheaper to remove them from service. But that isn't done because the military is one big social experiment.
I have these same notions.
If the assertion is incorrect, then my son and his new wife lied to me.
That is highly unlikely. As a former officer, I dealt with this issue personally. You may not have recieved the true facts about the matter. The Navy does not do that.
Thanks, I feel much safer now. Now I know Sep 11 will never happen again.
That is exactly right! I can admit to you that even today I stop after the words like "integrated Navy" --- it takes me a moment to understand what that means. Then I get annoyeed with myself -- you'd think that by now I should've gotten used to this. But apparently, I have not.
That is exactly right! I can admit to you that even today I stop after the words like "integrated Navy" --- it takes me a moment to understand what that means. Then I get annoyeed with myself -- you'd think that by now I should've gotten used to this. But apparently, I have not.
I am in the navy. What else did she do besides get pregnant? There is more to this than you are telling. The navy doesn't just give those kinds of ultimatums.
And yes, I will re-iterate it. The navy IS good to single mothers. I have witnessed it first hand.
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