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General defends court martial for pregnant soldiers
BBC ^ | 12/21/2009 | BBC

Posted on 12/21/2009 3:42:35 AM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour

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. The male sexual partners of female soldiers who get pregnant would also "face the consequences", he said. It is the first time the US Army has made pregnancy a punishable offence.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; War on Terror
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To: The Magical Mischief Tour

It’s about time...


21 posted on 12/21/2009 6:18:37 AM PST by Gritty (It's no longer a game. People will die because of actions taken by this country's leftists-JR Dunn)
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To: TexasRedeye
When I was in the military, it was a punishable offense if a sunburn “kept a person from normal assigned duty”.

In my ADA battery in '77, we had more than a few soldiers shave their heads. I told the men in my platoon that if they got sunburned and couldn't perform their duties, the BC had no problems with going the Article 15 route.

It was Germany...during the winter...LOL! The troops did take notice when we shipped a couple of problem children off to our sister battalion. This battalion was attached to the Big Red One, and averaged 6-8 months per year in the field.

My unit was air base defense, and housed on an air force base, and all the comfort that implied.

That got their attention much more than the threat of an Article 15.

22 posted on 12/21/2009 6:21:18 AM PST by Night Hides Not (If Dick Cheney = Darth Vader, then Joe Biden = Dark Helmet)
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To: TexasRedeye

There should be no difference if it is a sunburn or a pregnancy to me. Both are preventable.

++++++++

One more motivation for the young woman to get an abortion. Great rule. Maybe they can have it performed by military docs too. (not currently)


23 posted on 12/21/2009 8:01:08 AM PST by Blue Collar Christian ( What happened to my tag line?)
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To: Blue Collar Christian
One more motivation for the young woman to get an abortion.

having an abortion put one hors de combat for a period of time just like a sunburn. Same punishment applies. You are hired for a service. If you cannot perform that service...Don't enlist! It is voluntary (unlike when I served).

24 posted on 12/21/2009 8:09:14 AM PST by TexasRedeye (Eschew obfuscation)
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To: TexasRedeye

I was not aware that having an abortion caused a woman to miss even a day of work.

BTW, I do think it is criminal the way women are dismissed without penalty upon becoming pregnant. I saw it in the 70s all too often. I think the Article 15; deferred pay, extra duty, should be used, the pregnant woman carries the baby at the job site until delivery and ships the baby home to be cared for by her/his family until she is discharged at the end of her commitment. Better yet, after the Article 15 for both the father and mother, her Dad insists the CO presides at their wedding! Let’s call it a “Trench Gun Wedding”.


25 posted on 12/21/2009 8:23:06 AM PST by Blue Collar Christian ( What happened to my tag line?)
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To: TexasRedeye

The simple fact is, and always has been, like it or not, when you are in the military you are effectively the property of the US Government. Sounds harsh, but as far as practicle application its pretty true.


26 posted on 12/21/2009 8:26:31 AM PST by HamiltonJay
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To: American_Centurion
you are NEVER forced by autonomic response to become aroused

I beg to differ, but sexual arousal IS controlled by both the sympathetic (adrenergic) and the parasympathetic (muscarinic) nervous systems, which are subsystems of the autonomic nervous system.

Sex is a natural function.

27 posted on 12/21/2009 9:07:23 AM PST by Sarajevo (You're jealous because the voices only talk to me.)
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To: Tallguy
It think you misunderstood my sarcasm.

I am all for what this general is proposing. Pregnancy is devastating to our military's readiness, because for those women who cannot deploy due to pregnancy, it means other members who have already done their time have to fill the void. That means they get shafted, and their own families suffer. It isn't fair, and it isn't right.

The Navy has the worst stats on pregnancy, according to the latest issue in the Military Times.

Casey is a buffoon, and I mentioned him as the classic "PC" general who is part of the problem.

28 posted on 12/21/2009 10:21:37 AM PST by SkyPilot
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To: org.whodat

you missed the point...the irony of my observation....


29 posted on 12/21/2009 10:28:08 AM PST by thinking
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To: SkyPilot

Oh I got your point OK. I was just adding my speculation that MG Cucolo is very likely to be doing Gen. Casey’s bidding on this. Casey wants somebody else to take the paper bullets on this, so he picked one of his field commanders to spring this initiative, IMO. I can think of a few female senators who are going to pitch a fit over this.


30 posted on 12/21/2009 11:16:26 AM PST by Tallguy ("The sh- t's chess, it ain't checkers!" -- Alonzo (Denzel Washington) in "Training Day")
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To: Sarajevo

You quoted me: you are NEVER forced by autonomic response to become aroused...

The full quotation is:

you are NEVER forced by autonomic response to become aroused AND perform the act.

Do NOT miss the big AND in there.....


31 posted on 12/21/2009 6:05:23 PM PST by American_Centurion (No, I don't trust the government to automatically do the right thing.)
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