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You haven't ever been in the military, have you?

I'm a second lieutenant (reserve), but in the Swedish army. Hence my original question - I don't know everything about the codes and regulations that American servicemen have to abide to. My personal reflection, however, is that asking for permission from the government/military/whatever to marry someone isn't something I would do. In other words, if there were such regulations for me, I'd disregard them and take the consequences. It's not compatible with my "belief system", but I wouldn't look down on someone who thought it was right.

My personal reflection, however, is that asking for permission from the government/military/whatever to marry someone isn't something I would do. In other words, if there were such regulations for me, I'd disregard them and take the consequences.

The military is not civilian life. In civilian life you can quit your job at any time, even walking away in the middle of dealing with a customer. In the US military, that would be called "desertion", a crime for which you can go to jail or even be executed (depending on circumstances)

There is no prohibition or "asking permission" to get married for most in the military. The real issue is the prevention of fraternization--close personal relationships that can compromise the ability of a soldier or unit to accomplish the mission. The normal prohibition is against fraternization with the local citizens in an area where members of that population might use a close relationship to gain information of tactical value, divert them from accomplishing their mission or undertake unlawful acts such as blackmarketing.

In places like Iraq and Afghanistan, all those things can happen and, according to the news story, apparently happened in this case--soldiers who are supposed to be on a patrol--probably on a designated route to accomplish a specific purpose--are stopping by to visit their Baghdad babe instead. What was going on in the area he was supposed to be patrolling? So he needs to be hammered.

She is kind of cute, though. And I'm in the USA--for guys who've been looking at each other in the desert for a few months, she must have looked like a huge improvement over PFC Jones in 3d Squad or Abdul's camel out behind the barracks. I'm just speaking for the Army, however. The sailors and marines have long ago come to terms with handling this in a different way on those long sea voyages together.

Surely even the Swedish Army has concerns about security and people being given secret and top secret clearences. As a second lieutenant, you are still young and may not be familiar with all the rules and be impulsive and haven't learned the wisdom that others may have. However, your insistance that you would not seek the permission of the Army to marry a foreign national would indicate to me that you are a security risk.

Also, while the Swedish military may be good, practically EVERYBODY would like to see the U.S. knocked off the hilltop that we occupy alone, so we have to be MUCH more careful than other countries. And I can tell you, you won't like who replaces us.