The military newspaper Stars and Stripes is reporting that an American general has declared pregnancy among military personnel under his command a crime. That mean anyone who gets pregnant, or anyone who impregnated someone.
Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo III, who commands American operations in northern Iraq, said he instituted the ban because he was losing too many women with critical skills.
“I have female soldiers in absolutely critical specialties and becoming pregnant takes them out of the fight,” he said.
“And so that’s my message to the females – think before you do something, because I need you.
“And for the males, if you take one of my soldiers out of the fight, well, there are consequences for that too.
“It’s black and white for me. I’ve got a mission to do. I am given a finite number of soldiers with which to do it and I need every one of them.
“So I’m going to take every measure I can to keep them all strong, fit and with me for the 12 months that we’re in the combat zone.”
“When a soldier becomes pregnant or causes a soldier to become pregnant through consensual activity, the redeployment of the pregnant soldier creates a void in the unit and has a negative impact on the unit’s ability to accomplish its mission,” an Army spokesman said.
It is the first time the US Army has made pregnancy a punishable offense.
American General Bans Pregnancy
Women and men should not be in battle together. War is a man’s job. Let the women stay in the U.S. and cook and clean.
Women should stay in the U.S. and cook and clean? your absolutely ridiculous! Surely you can come up with a better comparison than war vs cooking and cleaning.
To Surpise: Have you even served in the armed forces before? If not you can eat crows pie, as I have served my country to protect all USA civilians including youself…So shut that egotistical mouth of yours and I bet you cook on your own because no sensible woman would respect a man like you. Enjoy eating Crow!!
Here here!
Here here! Women should stay out of the military. Period!
I hope to God you’re not in the military and if you are, I’d sure hate to be working with you. God forbid I have to work under you. Seems like everytime we take 10 steps forward it’s actually 100 steps back, way behind where we started due to brainiacs like yourself.
lol, you are so ignorant.
May God bless you from your ignorance.
Such a pre-historic comment. Gone are the days of women staying home, barefoot and pregnant to take care of the home and the children while the man works.
Surprise x3: Go back to your cave and blugeon yourself to death is my request as I will die defending your right to your ignorant opinion.
I like this ban. I’m a woman and a feminist, and I had a father who was in the military for 27 years. Women have every right to defend their country, but you don’t go into war and then endanger those around you by getting pregnant. And, hey, as long as the men are getting punished too, this is fair. It is exactly what I would expect from the military–they are there to complete a mission.
With things so critical in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc., yes, every service person signed on for a job, and should be expected to perform that duty. This is the first I’ve seen that makes people accountable for their actions, as if disease and unplanned pregnancy weren’t enough. However, this is a message for everyone, to always protect, think of others, and think about how your actions will affect other people. If you signed up, you knew you could go to Iraq, so WHY would you even want to CONSIDER bringing a baby into the mix,unless you thought using a baby would get you out of what you signed up for? My thought is, if you signed up to serve your country, then do the mission…..there’s time for ‘missionary style’ at a better time.
COOK & CLEAN!! Are you kidding me? What century are you from? Get a grip. Women and men work together, they are equal. Did you miss the point of the second half of this article. The men will be held responsible. It takes 2 to make a baby.
Norah77,
Altho i see, understand and repect your words of men and women working together. I also agree they both should be held responsible. But do not ever say they are equal on the battlefield! I have lived it, and they are not. Its not a he/she thing. Its basic strength vs weight. a woman can not do everything a man can do in the battlefield. There is alot she can do. but not everything.
Dont take words as agressive to you or any other woman. But, you have to agree a 110 pound woman can not carry out a 220 pound man out of a fight zone. Thats just the way is !
I agree that women have their place in the sevices. But not on the battlefield, may not be in the kitchen, or the laundry room specificly…
But NOT on the battlefield !
What about the women in the U.S. Armed Forces that are big boned and have enough strength? Would you put them in since they have what it takes or is it not in your perfect world? And if humans weren’t so very territorial there wouldn’t be a need for war.
i guess we all make mistakes. one is caring for women.i guess thats what us service men do a lot of.
women have their ups and downs just like we do. life
sometimes a bitch.
what kind of smart ass general would put something like that out. why he is afraid he won’t get any? come on people we are humans and yes making babies sometime happen, we do what we need to do
with the over manning of fields in the miltary a replacment can not be found> this general should have his stars ripped off and put to the lowest rank of e1
When working in US Military Camp Afrijan, Kuwait I saw many female soldiers who were pregnant. When I
asked soldiers about the coming mothers, they said
the US Army no longer had a rule that prevent female soldiers from getting pregnant and bornning babies when on active. I am glad to see that there is still such a rule. When signing into the Army you are signing up to learn how to protect you country, not date your boyfriend/girlfriend and come become a parent, espically when in a combat or near a combat zone. Babies are not for soldiers, unless they are in a noncombat MSO.
Thomas Fuller
Retired US Army
Master Sargeant
I’m here to tell you Mr Fuller that the Army isn’t all about war and combat life. Yes, when signing up into the Army, you do learn how to protect your country, but the Army has been working hard and investing quite a bit of money into quality of life for soldiers and their families, ensuring that families are not left out. Let’s face it, without the support of families, some of the deployed soldiers just wouldn’t make it. Morale would be at an all time low and then, let’s see….maybe they can come up with a ban against low morale maybe? The fact is, we are all human and these things happen and while I can understand the General’s point of view, think about how many soldiers are serving in jobs outside of their MOS and are being under-utilized. A replacement is not that hard to find for a soldier that gets pregnant while deployed and I’m sure a General would have no problem getting a replacement. I’m not condoning it but I think the decision is a bit harsh. Some areas allow married couples that are deployed in the same areas/units to co-habitate so is he going to punish the couple for getting pregnant after they were authorized to co-habitate? Hmmmm….
General Cucolo is being rediculous. As long as you mix men and women you will find pregnancy happenibg. The solution is to segregate the men and women. It would be better to keep women away from the battlefield all together. The best solution is to ban women from the Armed Forces. They can work in factories and Companies that manufacture and supply arms and equipment. Or send only women’s-lib lesbians into battle. Loud-mouthed feminists are a tiny minority. Ignore their stupid demands. Real women were made to love and kiss men, and vice versa. God bless us all.
I do not know what century you are from but it is not the 21st. Perhaps the 16th or th 17th? Your views are perverted and racist. segragation is never the answer. Birth control is. The general has every right to expect his soldiers to not get pregnant. He also has the right to make both men and women responsible for using birth control. One thing for sure is, men and women who have the chance for alone time are going to use it to their advantage. Sex is gonna happen. The fact that pregnancy is often used as a contract breaker is not new. I saw it alot when I was active duty Navy from 1975-1979. I thought at the time and still do today, that it was and is wrong. Your fear of lesbians and homosexuals is over the top. Feminist are NOT a tiny minority. We can be loud, yes. And will continue to be so. If you want to cook and clean and work in a factory have at it. You will not be missed!! If people ignore our right to be heard then we are not America–we are some third world country who thinks nothing of mutilating women or beating them because they did not respond as someone thought they should. Real women were and are made to love and be loved. As were men. Sexual orientation does not have anything to do with it. Anyone with the courage to stand and fight for America should be able to do so. I think someone who has never been in the military has no right to say who should or should not be able to serve our America. How are you serving? By trying to keep us in the dark ages? You need to expand your thinking and your contact with all types of people. Perhaps you would not show your ignorance so much if you got to know those who do not fit into your thinking. In my experience in the Navy I met my husband of 32 years, and I made friends with many people of many cultures and races. I highly recommend the experience. But only if you are willing to fulfill your contract.
Amen amen amen!
I read this article and then read the comments. There is some real ignorance here. I have to say that as a woman I agree with several points though. I have read that men and women shouldnt serve together, women are not as strong, cooking and cleaning. Guess what people, there is a place for both men and women in all facets of life including the battlefield. While I agree that women cant do all that men can do on the battlefield, I also think that a 110 pound woman who is trained in the same manner as a man can provide in other ways like gunfire cover while one of you strong men pick up that 220 pound man and carry him off the battlefield. The military is also about discipline and responsibility. There is no place for a pregnant woman on the battlefield. There should be some consequence to both parents. These days we need soldiers we can depend on to be there when the fight happens. There is room for both men and women in the Armed Forces, but there is no room for babies.
Most of you don’t even know how to spell, let alone type a coherent sentence.
Being in combat does not require brute strength.
Very well said. thank you
General Order 1 has always been not to engage in sexual activity while deployed. The problem I see, as a veteran, is , yes, these soldiers have enlisted –but the amount of time you are asking from them compared to a few years ago has grown exponentially. You are asking a lot of them not to engage in sex or childbirth for years at a time because they are only home for a few months in between deloyments. I am not making an arguement for sex downrange, I am just saying the obvious. We are asking way too much from these men and women. If fulfilling a basic human need in a place where death and destruction can make you crazy keeps them sane…make condoms free for them and leave them alone.
you are right. but i wouldnt want to see any woman
to be all shot up and displayed for all to see
either
Bob is in support of the enemy forces, so stupid.Supporting any kind of slacking off is really unthinkable.Then Bob may be a guilty soldier or related to one.
yous peopal not evan can spell. bye a grammer book and calment after yous larne Anglesh.
Being in the military I have seen way too many GIRLS get knocked up so they don’t have to go over there or stay over there. I did my part and gave up alot to keep this country safe so Mr ‘cook and clean’ needs to rethink his view on women in general. I fully support the Generals ban. It is about time. The Navy already has something like this.
I agree. If you are deployed to a war zone or deployed on a ship….pregnancy SHOULD NOT be allowed. It causes your fellow soldiers and sailors to pick up your slack for getting pregnant and sent back home. If a woman chooses to join the service….duty to their country comes first. Making babies and a family comes second. There will be plenty of time for getting pregnant when you are NOT stationed on a deployable ship or unit!!! If you don’t want to be in a warzone…then don’t enlist!!! Don’t use pregnancy as an excuse to get out of your duty and obligation to your unit/ship/country!!!
Its about time somebody who shines the beaurocrats shoes, grew some balls. I hope he puts military dependents(mostly wives) who stir up dissent on the subject in jail too.
No wonder the world is going down the tubes. People are applauding something totally outrageous. When one person’s liberty is taken away, all liberties are in danger. Procreating is a fundamental right that belongs to EACH woman, not to her commander. Just because he’s the general? What’s to stop authorities from removing or even taking “other” privileges? Stupid people. You get what you deserve. Sadly, it doesn’t help the rest of us that you’re too stupid to help us fight back.
Procreation is a right, but when you’re ABUSING that right, someone has to step in. Its the same with guns. Americans have the right to bear arms, but there are those who ABUSE that right, so someone has to step in and control it.
The only stupid people are the ones who aren’t covering their backs and protecting each other to avoid a pregnancy. If they choose to get knocked up, then they deserve to be punished for being so derelict in their duty!
I guess you do not know that when you sign a contract and join the military you give up your general rights. I found it interesting that the people who are put in place to protect the rights of American citizens have given most of their rights up. The government owns you once your contract is in place. If you stop going to work in the private sector you are not jailed when found. You are not made to stay and make up all the time you were U.A(Unauthorized absence). The terms of the contract is for a specific amount of time. Not from date to date. The military is there for YOUR liberty, not the enlisted person’s . If the military wants to keep you on a base, you have no choice but to stay or be arrested. A contract can limit what you can or can not do. Especially when on active service. The American people’s rights versus the people in the service’s rights are very different. The government more or less owns you. If this was about your average civilian woman. You would have the right to become pregnant if you want to. Not that women don’t have unplanned and unwanted pregnancies all the time. But, they do have choices that active service members do not. Elaine I hope this clarifies things for you.
The main point is prohibiting pregnancy in the military. One can still engage in sexual activity, JUST REMEMBER WEAR PROTECTION and of course TAKE THOSE PILLS WOMEN!!!!
Well if you put a male and a female together…that’s what you get. What are you going to do, Cut off the males “MM” until they get to the states? Seriously. I’m not saying you should ban women from the military, all i’m saying is thats just the way of life. GET USED TO IT! It’s what God put us on this Earth for!!!
If you are stupid enough to have unprotected sex in combat you need to be punished. There’s a time and place for everything!
It should apply to ALL US Armed forces or none…this “rule” no matter how good, bad or indifferent will not be enforceable as of January 1, 2010 because “the commander of all USA troops in Iraq will issue General Order No. 1. The commander, General Ray Odierno, will not include a controversial ban against pregnancy enacted earlier by the commander of US forces in Northern Iraq, General Anthony Cucolo.
General Odierno struck down the ban due to concerns about consistency in the enforcement of the rule. If any woman under General Cucolo’s command became pregnant both she and the father would receive written reprimands. Since this rule did not apply to US forces in Iraq that were not under Cucolo’s command, the inconsistency could lead to morale problems and complaints of discrimination.”
Good to know. thanks for the info.
one way to solve these problems in the future, is to establish a new command direct order. and implyment it. meaning put in to service to all female service
personnel that go into combat zones, (ALL) female service personnel. medically make it so they caint get pregnant, while there.
I think that it might be better and probably cheaper if they use drugs to keep a man from having an erection in a combat zone. This would certainly ensure that the men would not be getting a fellow soldier pregnant.
Teresa,
I don’t think the General told them not to have sexual relations.
He just doesn’t want his soldiers getting pregnant.
There are ways to avoid pregnancy besides abstinence.
Elaine,
You have never served in any military capacity.
Once enlisted you are military personnel, and they do get to tell you what to do, when to eat when to sleep.
YOU HAVE NO PERSONAL LIBERTIES!
This is a totally sensible order. Troops in warzones should not get pregnant!!!
Interesting…
now i got an question now what are they going to do if a woman gets pregrant, but she was raped and she didnt tell anyone about it. will they still concer this as an punishment? and the comment on women staying out home what an jerk.
Momo,consensual activity was specified.
Very interesting point!
I guarantee if they would have told those women signing up for the Army that if they were to get pregnant, it would be a criminal offense, half those women wouldn’t have signed up. Crap happens…I got pregnant in the military and it was very stressful. It wasn’t planned and it was after a deployment, but as proud as I was to serve my country and do what I did in the military, as soon as I found out I was having a child, the military became a very small part of me. They can always fill a friggin’ void. Someone just has to get up off their butts to do it….
…and I do have to add that I don’t agree with getting pregnant just to get out of a deployment. It does happen and those women make everyone sick…but as a woman in the military, I know many women who secretly aborted their babies to avoid the crap they were going to get from having to tell their command they were pregnant. Very sad.
When I was over in iraq, My chief worry was getting home alive, not getting some booty in the back of a 113 or whatever sneaky spot available. If you signed up for the military it is expected for you to deploy to defend our country. As for the right to procreate, Everyone has this right, but you need to get your priorities straight if the only reason you get pregnant is to get out of deployment. You also need to re-evaluate the reason you joined the military. It is much more than just a paycheck. If a deployment was not what you had in mind, stay home, and go to college. You can find all the booty you want and have children without complaints.
Both men and women should stay out of the military.
The world would be a better place, don’t you agree.
Tom Fuller….you are a retard my friend…a plain old inbred retard.
Women on the frontlines is a scary situation. iv been to Iraq twice now, and although iv never been in a firefight with a female soldier, i have seen the effects of IEDs and such havoc. men and women are NOT equal when it comes to the killing blow. i cried for my brothers deaths, and i am still tortured by my sisters deaths. please, if you have no experiance on what the hell you are talking about, dont put your 2 cents in. im not saying women should be sent back home, im saying its a scary situation is all.
I just came home from Iraq a few months ago and “gasp” it was not that bad there. Women getting pregnant are not that big of a deal…you can always find another finance clerk or medic…that is why we have the IRR. Seriously….this is about a joke if I ever heard one.
Rules are to live by. They aren’t banning sex. Let’s face it. People are horny and in stressful situations you need a little sexual healing. What’s wrong with that? I do agree that protection is important not just from pregnancy, but AIDS, HIV, Herpes….these are for life.. He’s not saying no sex, he’s saying you better no get pregnant!
I agree with all you women. I think you have the right to be shipped over to Iraq and killed just like us guys. Its to bad the 5000 men that have been killed thus far couldnt have been 2500 women too, you know, to equal things out. Be a feminist all you want, but you women do not have a place in war other then the roles you played in the last two.
I disagree with the new law. If men do not get a say in regards to the baby once the woman gets pregnant, we shouldnt have to pay the consequences for getting you pregnant. You cant have it both ways. Punish us for getting you pregnant and then not allowing us a choice for you to have it or not is ridiculous.
You disagree with the new law? Why should a man have a say in childs life when he did nothing to prevent the child fom coming? It could have been avoided by using A CONDOM!! Especially if the man has no immediate plans for fatherhood. If the man is so stupid as to get the woman pregnant–he deserves to be written up and so does she.
OK, first and foremost, they do have the right to do this. Anyone who joins the armed forces whatever the branch signs a contract. In that contract it states that you will serve X No. of years in return for training, pay, food and shelter, etc… Now, back to the serving part. You agree to deploy wherever the heck they decide to send you. It doesn’t matter if you want to, that is what you agreed to do. If for some reason you cannot or will not complete that contract (getting pregnant, injured off duty due to stupidity, etc…)than I believe they have the right to kick you out on your butt. They also should recoup the money spent for your training and whatever time is left on your contract. A contract is a contract sorry. If you don’t want to serve than stay the hell out, the military is not welfare and I wish people would stop using it as that. If you do not have the discipline to do what your told and follow orders than don’t join. It is that simple people.
Dude! Cook & Clean!? you must be single! My Father in retired from the military, fought in 3 wars, WWII, Vietnam & Korea! He’s a man and he would never tell me I couldn’t do the same thing he could. He would tell me I could do it better! women and men are supposed to be equal. As for the getting pregnant, get your priorities in order before you have a baby, if your in the military you signed up for a job. you need to do your job.