thedrifter
08-28-03, 05:46 AM
It Ain't Your Mama's Army Either
Subject: Pregnant, Single Airmen
My husband and I were officers in the AF when the Berlin Wall went down -- "Now's the best time to start a family!" we thought. Surely, there wouldn't be any major deployments in the near future. I was soon pregnant, and 8 months later, Desert Shield hit. My PERSCO team was tasked. I, of course, couldn't be deployed -- so -- the Captain who had just given birth 3 months before went. Her husband was a pilot who wasn't deployed with his ACCS unit -- so I guess things could have been worse for them. We all were married and conscientious -- yet I knew that my right to have a child affected the mission process.
Back in 1990, we had a single airman who had 2 kids (2 different dads) out of wedlock -- she couldn't be deployed. Another single airman was sent to Saudi and sent back because she was pregnant. These problems in our armed forces are not new -- they're just worse. My husband is now a commander. In the two years he has been here, many of his single women airmen have been pregnant as well as several married women. As a result, men are deployed more often than women. In some career fields, as soon as a woman becomes pregnant, she is pulled not only from deployments -- but also from other less-desirable or strenuous jobs. Someone has to do the math -- to have enough common sense to change what's happening.
I know women can serve in the military. I did. But -- I didn't let pride or a fine career make me a stumbling block to others -- I got out. My question is -- Where are all of the men? Are there 20% or more men out there to take our place?
M.M.
http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=Special%20Reports.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=24&rnd=8.372823919400474
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
Subject: Pregnant, Single Airmen
My husband and I were officers in the AF when the Berlin Wall went down -- "Now's the best time to start a family!" we thought. Surely, there wouldn't be any major deployments in the near future. I was soon pregnant, and 8 months later, Desert Shield hit. My PERSCO team was tasked. I, of course, couldn't be deployed -- so -- the Captain who had just given birth 3 months before went. Her husband was a pilot who wasn't deployed with his ACCS unit -- so I guess things could have been worse for them. We all were married and conscientious -- yet I knew that my right to have a child affected the mission process.
Back in 1990, we had a single airman who had 2 kids (2 different dads) out of wedlock -- she couldn't be deployed. Another single airman was sent to Saudi and sent back because she was pregnant. These problems in our armed forces are not new -- they're just worse. My husband is now a commander. In the two years he has been here, many of his single women airmen have been pregnant as well as several married women. As a result, men are deployed more often than women. In some career fields, as soon as a woman becomes pregnant, she is pulled not only from deployments -- but also from other less-desirable or strenuous jobs. Someone has to do the math -- to have enough common sense to change what's happening.
I know women can serve in the military. I did. But -- I didn't let pride or a fine career make me a stumbling block to others -- I got out. My question is -- Where are all of the men? Are there 20% or more men out there to take our place?
M.M.
http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=Special%20Reports.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=24&rnd=8.372823919400474
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: