Pregnancy Equals Prison for US Troops in Iraq

Bob McCarty Writes ^ | 12/22/09 | Bob McCarty

[BobMcCartyWrites]

Early last month, Army Maj. Gen. Tony Cucolo (left) issued General Order #1 as a means of informing those assigned to his Multi-National Division North (a.k.a., "Task Force Marne") that becoming pregnant -- or assisting in the effort -- is one of several types of conduct deemed "prejudicial to the maintenance of good order and discipline" among members of the 22,000-strong task force headquartered in Tikrit, Iraq. In fact, it ranks alongside alcohol, drugs, guns and similar vices on the general's list of prohibited activities.

[BobMcCartyWrites]

For both male and female soldiers in Iraq, pregnancy is a punishable offense.

Early last month, Army Maj. Gen. Tony Cucolo (left) issued General Order #1 as a means of informing those assigned to his Multi-National Division North (a.k.a., "Task Force Marne") that becoming pregnant -- or assisting in the effort -- is one of several types of conduct deemed "prejudicial to the maintenance of good order and discipline" among members of the 22,000-strong task force headquartered in Tikrit, Iraq. In fact, it ranks alongside alcohol, drugs, guns and similar vices on the general's list of prohibited activities.

The matter came to my attention when the Drudge Report provided a link to a Daily Mail article published yesterday. Now that it's out, I fully expect some public outcry about the punishment -- up to and including prison time -- promised both to individuals who become pregnant and to those soldiers who impregnate them.

For those who think the punishment too harsh for the crime, one needs only look at how General Cucolo addressed the subject in a policy letter -- the text of which was provided me by Maj. Jeff Allen, TFM public affairs officer at Command Operating Base Speicher -- released to coincide with the general order.

"Anyone who leaves this fight early because they made a personal choice that changed their medical status -- or contributes to doing that to another -- is not in keeping with a key element of our ethos, 'I will always place the mission first,' or three of our seven core values: loyalty, duty and selfless service," he wrote. "And I believe there should be negative consequences for making that personal choice."

He added that he considers "the male soldier responsible for taking a soldier out of the fight just as responsible as the female soldier who must redeploy."

Is the policy working? Tough to tell as I'm awaiting an answer from Major Allen.

Since the general order was issued Nov. 4, however, seven members of Task Force Marne have been reprimanded, according to the major. Among those, four pregnant soldiers -- including one who did not want to identify the other soldier involved -- have been returned to their home stations.

Developing...

UPDATE 12/21/09 at 3 p.m. Central: Major Allen told me that, because the unit has been in country for only a short time, they do not have records sufficient for comparison to the totals since Nov. 4. That in mind, I'll check back with him in a few months to see if the numbers go up or down.

UPDATE #2 12/22/09 at 11:08 a.m. Central:

• ABC reports today that General Cucolo has backed off threats of court-martial for pregnant troops and, secondly, that the always-pro-abortion National Organization for Women has entered the fray, quoting NOW President Terry O'Neill as saying, "How dare any government say we're going to impose any kind of punishment on women for getting pregnant. This is not the 1800s."

• I didn't include it in the original post above, but General Cucolo knew his action would attract nutjobs like O'Neill. In the final paragraph of his policy letter, the general wrote, "I do not expect those who have never served in the military to completely understand what I have tried to explain above. Recently I was asked, 'Don't you think you are treading on an intensely personal topic?' As intensely personal as this topic might be, leaving those who depend on you shorthanded in a combat zone gets to be personal for those left, too. This addition to a standing general order is just a small part of our overall effort to motivate thoughtful and responsible behavior among our soldiers.

[america-rules]

Stupid headline

A general doesn't decide if someone goes to prison or not !

Also, this would probably be an Article 15 offense not a court martial !

[davisfh]

This whole thing was brought on by the “political correctness” thing which was foisted upon us years ago. I believe that it is unreasonable to assign a female in her childbearing years to a combat zone or a combat situation. Simple logic would tell even the simplest mind that this is not a good idea. And, I don’t give a rats ass who says so, women and men are not equals in every situation and particularly those situations where the woman’s physical capacity might be diminished by a pregnancy. We simply need to grow up, grow some balls and move past this “politically correct” crapola.

[SkyDancer]

I thought I read a couple of days ago the whole idea of prison for getting pregnant was dropped ....

[Angry_White_Man_Syndrome]

Women in the military do this all the time to get out of deployments. It is nothing new.

[SkyDancer]

I was referring to the idea that they’d go to jail ... that idea was dropped. I know about women getting pregnant to get out of deployment ....

[ErnBatavia]

You’re correct.

[VOA]

“
Army Maj. Gen. Tony Cucolo
“

Maybe he had to back-track a bit on his original pronouncement.

But if I was a youngster again...that would be the guy I’d like for
a commanding officer. Someone with a spine.
Even if censored by his politically-correct weasel “superiors”.

[DieHard the Hunter]

If this has been reported correctly, and if indeed it is within the General’s ability to proffer charges against couples who get pregnant whilst deployed in battle zones — I say GOODONYA, GENERAL. And shirkers be warned.

Somehow, tho’ — I suspect they will find wiggle-room and weasel words that let them escape punishment altogether.

[Gay State Conservative]

Rather than imprisoning a woman who gets pregnant...don't send them to a war zone in the first place!

[El Gato]

Rather than imprisoning a woman who gets pregnant...don't send them to a war zone in the first place!

You going to take their place?

[El Gato]

You going to take their place?

I see you already have. But the question remains, who will take their places?

[celtic gal]

I would think that under the UCMJ, if the mother is not married to the father, no matter where they are stationed, there could be the possibility of bringing charges against both parties for moral turpitude. Any JAGs out there have more insight?

[The Great RJ]

While many female soldiers serve with distinction, this is the consequence of intermingling male and female soldiers. Human nature being what it is and being stranded far from home with little to relieve the boredom what do they think would happen? Now they want to have mixed crews on submarines.

[Allegra]

General Order One has been around in Iraq since 2003.

[Gay State Conservative]

You going to take their place?

Pushing 60...with an artificial hip and a bum ticker I see a problem with me even finishing BCT (I just barely got through it at 19!).I have no problem at all with women serving.None.But they should be doing support duties....duties which would,at worst,keep them *well* behind the lines if not right here at home.

Call me sexist if you must but I'm entitled to my opinions.Of course my view doesn't address the situation as it exists *now*,but....

[Gay State Conservative]

General Order One has been around in Iraq since 2003.

Hey,allegra...are you in Iraq now? Or elsewhere? If you're there,stay safe!

[BobMcCartyWrites]

I was told by Task Force Marne’s Major Jeff Allen that it had been updated/modified and he sent me the pdf.

[verity]

I do not believe the genesis was political correctness.

IMO, the creation of an all-volunteer force in 1974(?) terminated the endless flow of manpower through induction. Consequently, it became necessary to initiate a host of unprecedented measures to maintain end strength. The most disconcerting measure initiated during the latter stages of my career was the introduction of the Maternity uniform.

[davisfh]

"The most disconcerting measure initiated during the latter stages of my career was the introduction of the Maternity uniform."

Dittos to that. I retired from the AF in '75 and couldn't believe my eyes when I visited the base several years later and saw a major wearing a maternity uniform.