So lets work the opposite approach: Any positive suggestions for handling pregnancy in the military?

[howard112211]

Should there be an opt-out of combat duty in case of pregnancy? How can this be made compatible with the military's request of having the soldiers ready for any kind of duty whenever it deems it necessary?

[StarfarerBill]

1. Freely-available birth control for both sexes.

Also, hold male personnel equally responsible for pregnancies.

As for pregnancies that do occur: give the female soldier/sailor/airman/marine time-off for for the pregnancy's term, the birth, and finding a way to care for the child while the parent is on-duty. Otherwise, an honorable discharge if that's what she prefers.

[Duke Newcombe]

2. Issue them gear and put them in theatre...

as soon as they come out?

[Jamastiene]

3. It is my understanding that here are jobs in the military that do not involve combat.

So, it just seems logical that the simplest answer would be this:

Assign her to a job that does not require combat while she is pregnant.

Maybe, I am looking at it too simple, but that seems to be the simplest answer.

[Lance_Boyle]

4. Honorable discharge - that's about it.

The same ought to be applicable to servicemen who father children during their commitment. It is not right to value one gender over another in this arena when it is abundantly clear that two parent homes are better for children.

[Barack_America]

5. My pat answer to any question regarding, "what to do with pregnant women?"

Leave it up to the pregnant women.

If they want to continue to serve...fine.

If they want to take a desk job to complete their service...fine.

If they want to delay completing their service...fine.

If they want to accept a dishonorable discharge...fine.


Leave it up to them.

[TwilightGardener]

6. I'd let them off of their combat deployment until the baby is born, and

then ship 'em back after 6 months or a year, extend the commitment if needed. That will perhaps deter pregnancy on deployments. It's unfair to make other soldiers (many of whom have babies and kids and pregnant wives) have to step up and deploy to fill in for someone who should have been more responsible and prevented the pregnancy. So, make them understand that they WILL have to come back and finish their deployment. That's only fair.

[no_hypocrisy]

9. Either reassignment or honorable discharge if near the end of their hitch.

[TwilightGardener]

11. Temporary reassignment--and then either start or finish out the deployment

you were supposed to be on. My husband didn't have the luxury of getting "reassigned" to stay home with our babies--he deployed for a year to Korea when my younger son was three months old. Why should a female soldier get the luxury of staying stateside indefinitely?

[HopeHoops]

7. There is a second major issue here: is the military advocating abortions?

The new rule "makes getting pregnant or impregnating a fellow soldier an offense punishable by court-martial". That's from CNN's main article, but it is in the other reports online. If a female soldier becomes pregnant, it doesn't leave her many options - abortion or court-martial. And similarly, if a male soldier impregnates a female soldier, I suspect he would pressure her to have the abortion whether she's willing to face court-martial or not.

The other pissy thing about this is that while the rule is as fair with respect to gender as it can be, the woman is still subject to court-martial even if her non-military spouse/boyfriend gets her pregnant. The male can knock up all the women he wants as long as they aren't in the military.

As for the combat duty thing, I can see the angle of needing everyone available and of the commitment to the agreed service window, but unintentional pregnancies do happen. Sure, it is possible a woman would intentionally get pregnant to get out of combat, but I don't see that as a major issue. They should treat it the same way they would a non-combat related injury - defer the balance of service time.

[SoCalDem]

8. 2 year contracts..no stop-loss

Most women can manage to stay UNpregnant for 2 years.

Pregnancy in a peacetime military, where someone is more or less static in their field, is one thing, but women in the military as a career, just have to make some choices.

It;s inherently unfair to claim to want to be totally equal to the men serving, and then want special treatment because a woman got pregnant. men do not have that option..

[GodlessBiker]

14. What special treatment? It's a medical condition. Treat the condition...

(deliver the baby or have an abortion), then the woman goes back to her post.

Each sex has medical conditions unique to that sex. It is not special treatment when those specific conditions are treated.

[aikoaiko]

10. I've always been surprised that military women weren't given Depo Provera

They force the troops to get all sorts of shots to prevent medical issues.

[Warpy]

12. Make Plan B freely available

Make full reproductive care for women fully available, meaning contraception and abortion. Start taking rape more seriously, get rid of that "boys will be boys and what do these girls expect?" mentality.

Recognize no form of birth control is 100% effective and that pregnancy is a biological function that isn't always under our control. Pregnant soldiers who decide to continue the pregnancy might choose to stay until their sixth month or might choose to leave immediately, to be posted to a non combat area. Working women work through pregnancies all the time and need leave only after delivery.

Also, it would be great if the military would post single parents without family arrangements to non combat areas where they could have the kids with them. You can't hang your kids in a closet until you return and putting them into a bad foster care system is unthinkably cruel.

The military has to stop viewing its soldiers as pieces of machinery. The military needs to grow up concerning reproductive matters.

The religious right need to go fuck themselves with chainsaws.

[pipoman]

13. If this is in response the the Army General's recent order

don't miss his actual response and explanation right here on DU..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4194491&mesg_id=4194730