So telling active-duty troops not to have sex could possibly work better

[MillCreek]

https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/militarymedicine/74959?xid=nl_mpt_morningbreak2018-09-07&eun=g149952d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MorningBreak_090718&utm_term=Morning%20Break%20-%20Active%20Users%20-%20180%20days

Female service members have a relatively high rate of unintended pregnancy.  Access to care and contraception is a problem.

[dogmush]

Bullshit.

Access to care and contraceptives, for both males and females, is outstandingly easy deployed.  Not only are there Troop medical clinics in most FOB's that will hand out condoms and an entire aisle in AAFES devoted to it, every female soldier deploying is offered long lasting contraceptives prior to deployment.  If they are Reservists or NG they get Tri-Care coverage early enough they could get it for free prior to showing up at mob station.

The problem is thinking that a deployment pregnancy is unintended.

[Ron]

Access to condoms is a problem where in the first world?

How hard is it to by a box at the grocery store, local pharmacy and throw it in with your gear before deployment?

[Ron]

Want to end the problem?

If you get pregnant before or while deployed you get dishonorably discharged.

[BobR]

Bullshit.

Access to care and contraceptives, for both males and females, is outstandingly easy deployed.  Not only are there Troop medical clinics in most FOB's that will hand out condoms and an entire aisle in AAFES devoted to it, every female soldier deploying is offered long lasting contraceptives prior to deployment.  If they are Reservists or NG they get Tri-Care coverage early enough they could get it for free prior to showing up at mob station.

The problem is thinking that a deployment pregnancy is unintended.

What he said.

I was on active duty (Navy) when women were first being assigned to ships and deploying squadrons. When a pregnancy would result in not going on deployment or going home early it was a option many female sailors used. In 1991 the USS Acadia returned from deployment missing 36 female sailors, they had been removed from the ship due to pregnancy. I would expect the same mindset exits in today's Armed Forces, if you don't like your assignment and have an easy out just keep spreading your legs until you hit the baby jackpot and get sent home.

bob

[Fly320s]

The problem is thinking that a deployment pregnancy is unintended.

That plus

If you get pregnant before or while deployed you get dishonorably discharged without benefits.

Might work.

[Ben]

What he said.

I was on active duty (Navy) when women were first being assigned to ships and deploying squadrons. When a pregnancy would result in not going on deployment or going home early it was a option many female sailors used. In 1991 the USS Acadia returned from deployment missing 36 female sailors, they had been removed from the ship due to pregnancy. I would expect the same mindset exits in today's Armed Forces, if you don't like your assignment and have an easy out just keep spreading your legs until you hit the baby jackpot and get sent home.

bob

At the risk of thread drift and a possible volatile subject, I almost see that as similar to "abortion as convenient birth control". Using a child, whether aborting it or having it, to simply make some part of your life conveniently easier, is deplorable, IMO.

I wonder how some of these "get out of deployment free" kids turn out, raised by parents that had them simply to get out of an obligation they voluntarily signed up for?

[lupinus]

At the risk of thread drift and a possible volatile subject, I almost see that as similar to "abortion as convenient birth control". Using a child, whether aborting it or having it, to simply make some part of your life conveniently easier, is deplorable, IMO.

I wonder how some of these "get out of deployment free" kids turn out, raised by parents that had them simply to get out of an obligation they voluntarily signed up for?

You're assuming no abortion post ticket home.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Scout26]

It generally took a few months to process them out, since most states limit   by t he tieabortion to the first trimester, the abortion option is generally closed by the time they get home.

[MillCreek]

It generally took a few months to process them out, since most states limit   by t he tieabortion to the first trimester, the abortion option is generally closed by the time they get home.

Plus neither the military or VA provide or pay for abortion services.  I think that is probably not really a bar for someone on active duty, who can presumably afford to pay for one.

[makattak]

Yep, no costs whatsoever to incorporating women into the Armed Forces.

Let's keep pushing the social engineering, since it's already working so well.

[BobR]

The absolute worst thing about women getting pregnant on deployment or into 3rd trimester so they could stay home was they were not replaced. Their billet stayed unfilled, causing more work for the ones left behind and when you are already talking being undermanned it just increases the stress on the sailors still onboard trying to do their job and the missing sailor's job. I was and am not a fan of having women in deploying billets just because of that. Of course at this point in time I am probably considered 'old Navy". I have been retired longer than I did active duty now so things could possibly be different.

bob

[Ron]

Might work.

Yea, I’m well outside my domain of knowledge so I probably should have just left it at discharged. I’m not sure what all the ramifications are of the various ways of being disconnected.

[makattak]

https://popularmilitary.com/instructors-claim-first-female-enlisted-earn-ranger-tab-actually-quit-given-special-treatment/?utm_source=11%20Bravos

How timely that this came it today, too:

Earlier this year, a female candidate was dropped after it was discovered that she was pregnant with the child of one of her fellow Ranger School students.

[Fly320s]

Rangers lead the way!

[Hawkmoon]

Yea, I’m well outside my domain of knowledge so I probably should have just left it at discharged. I’m not sure what all the ramifications are of the various ways of being disconnected.

They vary: https://www.lawyers.com/legal-info/labor-employment-law/discharges-and-their-effect-on-veteran-benefits.html

[cordex]

Rangers lead the way!

In going all the way?

[Pb]

Get all women out of every combat position.  Move them to support positions only. 

[dogmush]

Get all women out of every combat position.  Move them to support positions only. 

This wouldn't change a thing in the OP. Soldiers bang each other in support positions too.

[MillCreek]

Get all women out of every combat position.  Move them to support positions only. 

Uh, phrasing?

[KD5NRH]

Want to end the problem?

If you get pregnant before or while deployed you get dishonorably discharged.

And watch the rape accusations fly.

[dogmush]

Want to end the problem?

If you get pregnant before or while deployed you get dishonorably discharged.

Yeah, just nope. This is a dumb idea.

[BlueStarLizzard]

I love how you guys think the only way to solve this is to kick woman out of deployment.

Mandatory IUDs for deployment would solve the issue, regardless of the intentions of the woman.

[dogmush]

Mandatory IUDs for deployment would solve the issue, regardless of the intentions of the woman.

THAT would be an amazing PR move. Mandatory medical procedure with a risk of sterility.

No, the answer is to do exactly what we do currently.  Train and deploy the soldiers we have. There are some medical conditions that make you non deployable (for men and women). You test for those pre deployment,  and if a soldier gets a non-deployable condition while deployed you re-deploy them. It's not that big a deal, except to social engineering grad students and feminists with an article to write.

Yes it sucks when a soldier gets pregnant and redeploys early,  because you have to cover down on their job. As you do when a soldier gets sleep apnea, hurts their knee, get's diagnosed with high blood pressure, or any of the literally two pages* of conditions that makes some one non-deployable.

We do have some issues integrating females, and some of them are self inflicted,  but a rash of pregnancies isn't one of them, even malingering pregnancies.


*And the two pages is just for CENTCOM. Every AOR has their own list of things they won't allow.

[dm1333]

Want to end the problem?

If you get pregnant before or while deployed you get dishonorably discharged.

DD can only be awarded by a General Court Martial.  DD's are usually awarded for things like desertion or murder and you lose your rights just like any other felon.  Is that the route we want to take for doing what people do?