January 2010 will see the "pregnancy" ban lifted from men and women serving in Iraq.
These women (and the men who impregnate them) currently face the threat of anything from an official reprimand all the way up to a court martial if they do not adhere to the ban placed by Major General Anthony Cucolo.
The ban has faced enormous criticism by soldiers currently enlisted and by women's groups who believed the ban to be discriminatory and unrealistic. Several state senators send written letters of protestation to the US Army Secretary.
Major General Anthony Cucolo has said that he could not afford to lose valuable female soldiers due to pregnancy (and some who supported the ban believe these women deliberately get pregnant so they can avoid active duty) but has said he never would have court martialled them if they had become pregnant. Four female soldiers in Iraq did become pregnant in the short time since the ban was instituted (Nov 09) and they, and the three male soldiers involved were officially reprimanded. (The Maury Povich in me is wondering if one of the males impregnated two of the women or the forth man was non-military).
The ban is expected to be lifted early in the new year.
Tell Us
What is your opinion on female soldiers getting pregnant while on active duty? Is it an excuse to be sent home or is it a fact of life that the military has to accept?