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Military mom without childcare goes AWOL
ABC/ KGO-TV San Francisco, CA ^ | November 13, 2009 | Lyanne Melendez

Posted on 11/15/2009 4:28:16 PM PST by Lorianne

The U.S. Army is dealing with an emotional and complicated case involving an Oakland woman. She's a single mother, scheduled to be deployed to Afghanistan, even though she has no one to care for her 11-month-old baby.

The woman is a 21-years-old single mom, who was almost on her way to Afghanistan. However, she is not the only one. A report released last month says 30,000 single mothers have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11.

For now 11-month-old Kamani Hutchinson is being cared for by his grandmother, Angelique Hughes of Oakland. A few days ago she flew to Savannah, Georgia after learning the Army had put Kamani in Child Protective Services.

(Excerpt) Read more at abclocal.go.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: militarymoms; militarywomen; shechosepoorly
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To: Thunder90
This can also happen to men who get custody of the child/children and then are deployed.

Yes, but the fact is that babies need to bond in first two years of life, preferably to the nursing mother for optimal physical and emotional health.

If that bond is broken in the first three years of life...then great trauma happens to the child that he/she may not recover from....Severe emotional damage to children in early years occurs because of mother desertion.

Fathers are definitely important to identity formation and to self-esteem but the loss of bonded parent is the destructive force. Society should encourage the bonding of mothers and children in the security of marriage which is the optimum method of raising a child.

To pretend that Natural Laws (which our country was based on) do not exist is suicidal and unjust and destroying the future generation.

61 posted on 11/15/2009 5:45:41 PM PST by savagesusie
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To: MortMan

I didn’t have to fight: Women didn’t back then, AND it was the end of the VietNam War. Thank you, though. Our kids today DESERVE our appreciation!!!!!!


62 posted on 11/15/2009 5:47:55 PM PST by bannie
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To: Lorianne
Wow, some of the comments on this thread are disheartening. I can't believe the vitriol directed at women because they give birth, and directed at children because they are inconvenient. And then to try and cloke the comments in the name of service.
63 posted on 11/15/2009 5:50:33 PM PST by LuvFreeRepublic (Support our military or leave. I will help you pack BO!)
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To: bannie

I was part of Desert Storm.

My son has decided to join the Marines (I couldn’t talk sense into him - LOL).

Every kid in every generation that does their part deserves thanks.


64 posted on 11/15/2009 5:51:13 PM PST by MortMan (Stubbing one's toes is a valid (if painful) way of locating furniture in the dark.)
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To: Lorianne
During the first Gulf War, a good friend of mine, in the Army & divorced from her Army husband, was to be redeployed to the Gulf. Her ex was already over there. We agreed to take in her son for the duration of her time overseas. While training, she tore something in her knee and ended up not going overseas after all.

IMO, what should happen in cases like this is the soldier in question should be allowed to care for her/his child, knowing that every day she/he spends out of active duty up to a certain number of days (lets say 365) will be added on to the end of her/his enlistment. At the end of that "off" time, she'll/he'll either have her/his workable plan in place or will face severe disciplinary consequences. Shirking duty for any reason should always be a punishable offense, and one should never be able to use their children as an excuse not to serve.

I would not exempt men from this plan. They are just as responsible for their children as women are.

65 posted on 11/15/2009 5:59:08 PM PST by mountainbunny (Mitt Romney: Would you buy a used car from this huckster?)
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To: Lorianne

adoption. problem solved.


66 posted on 11/15/2009 5:59:15 PM PST by redreno (Americans don't go Gault. Americans go Postal.)
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To: FrdmLvr

Those of us who said that this problem would manifest itself along with significant numbers of women in the armed forces were shouted down. Now the chickens are coming home to roost.


67 posted on 11/15/2009 6:03:21 PM PST by DMZFrank
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To: JoeFromSidney
Give them all honorable discharges, and let them learn a trade on the GI bill.

Negative. They knew he deal when they signed up. They took the training and the paycheck.

68 posted on 11/15/2009 6:04:53 PM PST by TankerKC (You need to lock it up, Major...)
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To: MortMan

Well said. She chose to join the army, and she chose to have a child. Those choices do not entitle her to leave early and receive the GI Bill.


69 posted on 11/15/2009 6:06:30 PM PST by aNYCguy
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To: Lorianne

First of all, she chose to be a “single mother”. Second, where was Grandma before the deployment?


70 posted on 11/15/2009 6:09:43 PM PST by GatorGirl (Eschew Socialism!)
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To: gitmo

“They chose to join the military, right?”

Yes, but the military has also chosen them. I’m very disturbed at the number of mothers, and esp. single mothers deployed into battle zones.


71 posted on 11/15/2009 6:13:27 PM PST by jocon307
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To: LuvFreeRepublic

“War means fighting. Fightin’ means killing.”

Unless you are planning on having her dig a foxhole, uhhh. I mean fighting position, outside the day care center, she needs to be expeditiously chaptered (no borads, no review etc.) with a general discharge. The rules are clear, and she broke them.


72 posted on 11/15/2009 6:16:38 PM PST by redlegplanner ( No Representation without Taxation)
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To: Lorianne

OMG, we need a new government program to care for the children of female combat troops (something that should never be).


73 posted on 11/15/2009 6:22:41 PM PST by elkfersupper (Member of the Original Defiant Class)
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To: redlegplanner

Yes the rules are clear, she is a single mom and therefore, less than that of a single father. God does not view single moms or their children, any different than he does single men and their children.

Please continue to express your opinions and I will do everything I can to make sure my sons do not share your view.


74 posted on 11/15/2009 6:23:21 PM PST by LuvFreeRepublic (Support our military or leave. I will help you pack BO!)
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To: Gene Eric

“Is the same type of PC crap that got 13+1 killed in Ft Hood?”

Yes, except she apparently got pregnant in Iraq and came home a few months early. A sad example of unintended consequences.

I never saw any mention of baby-daddy in the coverage.


75 posted on 11/15/2009 6:24:19 PM PST by PLMerite (Ride to the sound of the Guns - I'll probably need help.)
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To: Hot Tabasco; Hulka; Lion Den Dan; VR-21
"Now let the dad take care of the child."

That particular "Dad" is also deployed to iraq.

Since there were no relatives who were capable of "parenting" the child, my daughter (a fellow officer and ROTC roommate) became "the plan"...

AFAIK, as far as the Army is concerned, all my daughter gets out of this is responsibilty for a fourth pre-schooler for a year -- and the gratitude of a dear friend...

Looks like a deficiency in logistic planning on the part of the Army to me...

76 posted on 11/15/2009 6:28:02 PM PST by TXnMA ("Allah": Satan's current alias...!!)
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To: LuvFreeRepublic

Not less than a single father in the same situation. However, if she has custody, than it is her responsibility to have a viable family care plan. Absent that, she is incapable of fulfilling her duty and therefore, should be chaptered. Decisions have consequences.

The military is not a social program. It discriminates against lots of folks - handicapped, fat, stupid, drug users, folks w/o a high school degree, those who cannot pass a pt test, and yes, single parents (not mothers) who fail to follow the rules and have a family care plan.

Of course you should raise your sons as you feel proper. A word of caution. - life is not graded on a curve.


77 posted on 11/15/2009 6:45:12 PM PST by redlegplanner ( No Representation without Taxation)
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To: USMCWife6869

She had 9 months + 11 months for a total of 20 months to figure this out. Of course 20 months ago she should have been smart enough not to be in this situation. Where’s daddy or his family?


78 posted on 11/15/2009 6:45:12 PM PST by bgill (The framers of the US Constitution established an entire federal government in 18 pages.)
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To: Lorianne

She is obligated to serve. Her child is not the military’s problem. It’s her problem.

Either kick her out of the military, or discipline her.


79 posted on 11/15/2009 6:49:27 PM PST by mamelukesabre (Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum (If you want peace prepare for war))
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To: redlegplanner
single parents (not mothers)

Thank you for using "single parent", because that is the issue and not a single mom. No life is not graded on a curve, but men who father children and do not raise them are given a pass and it is more often than not, the females fault. Teaching our kids responsibility and accountability for actions and choices is what is required. This is my gender neutral position. Good night.

80 posted on 11/15/2009 6:59:03 PM PST by LuvFreeRepublic (Support our military or leave. I will help you pack BO!)
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