Pregnant troops leave the war; Central Command not counting

[PfcHammer]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20040615-115647-8125r.htm

Pregnant troops leave the war; Central Command not counting
By Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

U.S. Central Command is not tracking the number of troops who must leave the Iraq war theater due to pregnancy, prompting military advocates to charge the Pentagon wants to keep secret what could be an embarrassing statistic.

There have been anecdotal reports of unmarried soldiers becoming pregnant in Iraq. One military police unit reported losing three women for that reason. Pfc. Lynndie England, the 21-year-old photographed holding a leash attached to an Iraqi prisoner, became pregnant during an affair with another soldier at the Abu Ghraib prison compound in Iraq.

But overall numbers are hard to come by.

"We're definitely not tracking it," said a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, which runs the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. "I've been attending operations briefings for two years, and I don't think I have heard once that pregnancy has come up."

[molly]

1. What a clever way to leave the war

I'm surprised they haven't offered free abortions as an alternative - no, I'm not surprised.

[TahitiNut]

17. Too bad they don't offer an 'out' to the fathers ...

... since the military in Iraq would probably shrink to less than half of what's there.

It brings a whole new meaning to the "Mommy Track." :puke:

[LynneSin]

2. I hate to say it, if I was stuck serving in that war - I'd do it too

What a better way to get yourself out of serving in Iraq then by getting knocked up. And since the Military bans abortions for those serving, they have no choice but to send those women home.

I hate to say it, I'd be fucking like rabbits until I got knocked up and I wouldn't care who the father was.

I know that sounds awful, but it's better than serving in an illegal war!!

[Solly Mack]

3. Military doesn't ban abortions per se -they just won't pay for them

female soldiers have to have it done outside the military healthcare network....and many do.


My husband's company could not send 3 female soldiers at the beginning of their deployment due to pregnancy and sent 3 back from Iraq due to pregnancy. I cheered them all.

[Mandate My Ass]

4. Yeah but

didn't I read a story right here on DU that after three
months maternity leave they send them right back into
combat?

[Solly Mack]

5. You're right. New moms go to combat

New dads go to combat.

One of the saddest things I've ever seen...simply because a woman who has delivered can have any number of complications well after she has given birth. We've had female soldiers who went shortly after giving birth only to fall victim to post-partum depression and PTSD....sent back home and unable to care for themselves much less their babies by themselves.

[Mandate My Ass]

6. post-partum depression is common

A mom with that would be a danger to herself
and others. This is awful. :(

[Solly Mack]

7. It is awful

Single moms are hit worst of all.

[LynneSin]

11. actually I knew someone who even got around that

See, they send the new mothers back into combat, but that's only if there is someone to take care of the infant.

If the new mother doesn't have anyone to take care of the child then the military cannot send the mother back. I know someone who took advantage of this to get out of going back to Iraq. She is still serving, but stateside where she can put her daughter into daycare.

[Solly Mack]

12. Your friend was lucky

The army has this thing called a "care plan" and all soldiers must have one.

New mothers often send their infant to grandparents, aunts, and cousins...then are deployed. I know of exceptions...but those were the lucky ones. I know of single moms who were chaptered because they couldn't deploy due to a lack of a care plan.

[Scairp]

28. New moms can get out

They do have the option of getting out of the military, especially if they are unmarried and have no one to take temporary custody of the kid if they get deployed. Actually, they won't take single parents of either gender in the first place if they don't turn temp custody of any children over to someone else while they are in basic.

[trogdor]

19. If they cannot produce a family care plan...

...they are discharged, regardless of gender. Family care plans for soldiers who are single parents or in dual military marriages are a key element in individual readiness. This requirement is non-negotiable.

Anyhoo, considering the source of this is the Washington Times, the reason for it is likely to be to undermine the social progress regarding women in the military.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

20. Three months is a nice window of opportunity

Brazil is a beautiful country.

[underpants]

8. They were getting pregnant in droves in Germany back in '90-91

20-30 out of a battalion of about 500 or so.

[lebkuchen]

9. I know of 4 single women in one unit being sent back due to pregnancy

Who knows if the men were married or not~. And that's exactly what the spouses are worried about. That's a big reason for the spouse to put pressure on the military sponsor NOT to reenlist, not to mention the year and a half unaccompanied deployments, soon to be added on to when divisions move unaccompanied to Poland, Romania and Bulgaria.

[Solly Mack]

10. Yeah...that very thing caused the reunion ceremony to

be quite interesting when my husband's company came home.

The entire deployment took it's toll with 22 divorces...and counting.

[Qanisqineq]

16. egads, you and lebkuchen are making me sick to my stomach!

I thought about all that crap while my husband was in Iraq (the other women). Thank god there are not any women in his unit or nearby -- most of his deployment -- but I still wondered. Now I am worrying all over again.

[Solly Mack]

18. Don't worry! I'm sorry.

I saw what several of the spouses were doing back home and he saw what the soldiers were doing over there...and guess what? It was almost always a case of both spouses fooling around on either end. To me that indicates problems prior to the deployment.

And then they would confess in email, IM (AKO), or on the phone...some were outted by their fellow soldiers, and ,or, other spouses. It got real ugly.

[lazarus]

23. When I was in the service

and left my girlfriend in England for a year, I was told by all everybody I knew to just get used to the fact that she was going to be sleeping around, because it always happens.

I wonder how much of this is done because people expect it to happen. A sort of self-fulfilling prophecy.

[Solly Mack]

26. I can see that happening...

deployments are times of uncertainty..lot of insecurity all around.

[lebkuchen]

21. You're certainly not alone in your thoughts

Not only is the typical military spouse worried about extra-marital affairs, but also about the impact of an absent parent on the kids. Many of the children have a difficult time adjusting, and their concerns impact on their progress in school.

This article was published in Stripes the other day. Wiesbaden/Baumholder is where the 1AD (currently on extended deployment) is.

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=22778

Understandably, much of the discussion centered on the fathers. Rachel, Grant, Tonia and Cassie are happy and relieved to have their dads back with them under the same roof, but acknowledge there have been reunion pains.

“It was hard talking to him because I didn’t know what he was like anymore,” Tonia said of the long separation.

Around the house, Tonia continued, “you had to be quite a lot because he was used to the war zone. When he went to sleep, he would jump at the smallest noise. My mom said that’s just ’cause he’s used to being, well, bombs dropping while he sleeps.”

Grant said his dad seems more stressed than normal. He doesn’t play ball as much as he used to, and other pastimes don’t seem as important anymore. And he’s taken an unexpected interest in gospel music, which had Grant shaking his head in disbelief.

“I should appreciate that he’s back,” Grant said, “because some people’s parents aren’t.”

“When they come home they can feel safer but they are still, like, on that alert mode,” Cassie said. “I remember one time when my dad came back, I dropped a pan in the kitchen and he, like, got up and he was all freaking out. And I was, like, ‘I dropped the pan. I’m sorry.’ ”

Nielsen, the counselor, said kids undergo many changes in their personal makeup at this age. The war, separations and reunions, she noted, have disrupted an already unpredictable developmental stage.

Cassie, for example, said she recently grabbed her father’s hand as the two of them strolled through the post exchange. Her father didn’t know what to make of it. Cassie admitted she’s gone from not wanting to be seen with her parents, particularly when her friends are around, to public displays of affection.

[skooooo]

13. Why don't they just give them birth control?

Not sure of the ethical ramifacations, but if they wanted to prevent pregnancies, I'm sure they could.

[Wright Patman]

14. You'd have to force feed it

to them if they are actually trying to become pregnant. Of course, being in the military, that wouldn't be a problem in terms of civil liberties, I suppose. Just slap that contraceptive patch on their arm. I forget what it's called.

[Tight_rope]

33. ORTHO-TRI-CYCLEN: That's what the patch is called! n/t

[Scairp]

34. Close, but no

It's called Ortho Evra. Ortho Tricylen is a birth control pill. There is also the vaginal ring (hormonal) called Nuvaring. You CAN get birth control in the military. But, you must have the obligatory yearly PAP to keep getting it. Not sure how that would work out in a combat zone. It could be difficult for the female troops to get their prescription renewed if they are deployed for more than a year.

[Solly Mack]

15. They can't force the soldiers to use birth control

Oh, they encourage it. They have shots that stop ovulation cold.. up to 6 months.. and they can get another shot after a break to allow for periods.

But they can't force it.

[NickB79]

22. Have they ever given men Depo shots in the military?

I recall a friend of mine who went through basic training saying he got a shot that stopped erections for months at a time (Depo, I assume). Was there anything to his story, or was he pulling my chain?

I can see the recruiting ads now: "Be an Army of One Without a Stiffy".

[lazarus]

30. chain pulling

in basic, we were all convinced they had put something in the food, most likely saltpeter.

In reality, basic training puts you through physical shock, so you're not likely to be thinking of sex.

Although we did catch one guy taking care of business in the latrine...

[Az_lefty]

24. When I was in Iraq

our supply section had a big supply of condoms. So these are available, but not the pill.

[skooooo]

25. unbelievable..

..I wonder how many female soldiers would want birthcontrol if it was available to them. Maybe it is available if you ask for it.

[Fear]

27. Cause Bush thinks abstinence is a great way to prevent pregnancies

[geek tragedy]

29. As effective as shooting yourself in the foot

and damn more fun too!

[Ilsa]

31. A dear friend of ours' girlfriend went to Iraq and got pregnant.

She was sent home and had her baby. Our friend is accepting the role as the father, but they are not married. I suspect they won't get married until we stop sending troops to Iraq because if they are married, she'll have to go back since he'll be the default caregiver.

[Tight_rope]

32. Seem's like there's a lot of sex going on in the Iraq!...

I wonder who's doing the fighting if many are busy having sex.