“I can't say that I have an easy answer to the pregnancy problem. On principle, I kind of take the Bernard Montgomery approach and acknowledge that troops will always try to have sex -- the best thing to do is to mitigate the risk and make birth control and sex education as readily available as possible.”

Well, that is a very sensible approach, perhaps too sensible in this day and age. Unfortunately, my guess is that we would find that right wing religious wacko’s along with the Bishops of the Roman Catholic Church going ballistic over the corruption of our men and women in uniform. Of course one would have to combine that with a sham outrage orchestrated by the sanctimonious hypocrites inhabiting Congress. The military are physically brave but not when it comes to facing down the primitive interests above and provide birth control, sex and STD education to attack this problem.

The word "court-martial" is a red herring.

Every lawful order can be enforced with a court-martial, but few are. Almost all violations of GO1 (pornography, alcohol, etc.) are punished with, at most, non-judicial punishment (and Art 15). Even if a violation of GO1 made it to a court-martial, the punishment would be laughably minute.

Posted six hours ago on the Small Wars Council current events discussion forum by Maj. Gen Cucolo's Public Affairs Office, Multi-National Division-North, Iraq:

I appreciate the discussion about one aspect of a general order I have applied here in the combat zone of Iraq. The true intent of my directive cannot be easily understood from one or two brief articles, so I would like to clarify my rationale for the directive.

In this 22,000 Soldier Task Force, I need every Soldier I've got, especially since we are facing a drawdown of forces during our mission. Anyone who leaves this fight earlier than the expected 12-month deployment creates a burden on their teammates. 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. And I believe there should be professional consequences for making that personal choice.

My female Soldiers are absolutely invaluable, many of them holding high-impact jobs that are often few in numbers, and we need them all for the duration of this deployment. With their male counterparts, they fly helicopters, run my satellite communications, repair just about everything, re-fuel and re-arm aircraft in remote locations, are brilliant and creative intelligence analysts, critical members of medical teams, in all areas of logistics and personnel support across this Georgia-sized piece of Iraq north of Baghdad, and much more. Since I am responsible and accountable for the fighting ability of this outfit, I am going to do everything I can to keep my combat power -- and in the Army, combat power is the individual Soldier.

To this end, I made an existing policy stricter. I wanted to encourage my Soldiers to think before they acted, and understand their behavior and actions have consequences -- all of their behavior. I consider the male Soldier as responsible for taking a Soldier out of the fight just as responsible as the female Soldier who must redeploy.

To ensure a consistent and measured approach in applying this policy, I am the only individual who passes judgment on these cases. I decide every case based on the unique facts of each Soldier's situation. Of the very few cases handled thus far, it has been a male Soldier who received the most severe punishment; he committed adultery as well. Though there have not been any cases of sexual assault, any pregnancy that is the product of a sexual assault would most certainly not be considered here; our total focus would be on the health and well-being of the victim and justice for the perpetrator.

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 foster thoughtful and responsible behavior among our Soldiers.

Proudly serving you,
Tony Cucolo
Major General, US Army
Commander, Task Force Marne
Tikrit, Iraq

By Michael Gisick and Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, December 23, 2009

The general who made pregnancy while on duty in Iraq a prosecutable crime defended his decision Tuesday, saying he never considered jailing or court-martialing pregnant women, but simply wanted his troops to think about the consequences of their actions.

Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo, who commands Multi-National Division-North, said he wanted to send the message that “anyone who leaves the fight early creates a burden on their teammates” and that such decisions “should have professional consequences.”

But he also said punishment for violating the ban, which falls under the command’s General Order No. 1, will involve only administrative discipline.

“I believe I can handle violations of this aspect with lesser degrees of punishment,” he said. “I have never considered court-martial for this. I do not ever see myself putting a soldier in jail for this.”

On Tuesday, less than a week after Stars and Stripes broke news of the pregnancy ban, Cucolo fielded questions from reporters worldwide on the ramifications of the decision.

Already seven U.S. soldiers, including three men, have been punished under the rules. The four female soldiers who became pregnant were given letters of reprimand that will not remain a part of the permanent military file, Cucolo said, as were two of the male soldiers.

The third male soldier, a noncommissioned officer who is married and impregnated a subordinate who is not his wife, was also charged with fraternization and given a permanent letter of reprimand, Cucolo said. The four female soldiers were all reassigned outside the combat zone; The three men remained in Iraq.

One of the female soldiers declined to say who impregnated her and the unit “let it drop,” Cucolo said, adding that he had no plans to further investigate paternity.

“I’m in a war zone,” he said in a phone interview with Stars and Stripes late Monday. “I don’t have time for that.”

On Tuesday, Cucolo vowed that both men and women would receive equal punishment for violating the ban.

Cucolo admitted that he could have handed out letters of reprimand to pregnant troops and involved men without using General Order No. 1, but “I’m a fan of simplicity. I wanted this to be in an area with all the other things troops should be thinking about while they’re in the combat zone.”

General Order No. 1 also bars U.S. troops and civilians attached to the military from consuming alcohol and possessing pornography. It does not ban sex.

The general said he had no plans to review the availability of birth control medication or “morning after” pills to soldiers in Iraq.

Four other female soldiers who found out they were pregnant shortly after arriving in theater were sent home but given no punishment. Cucolo commands about 22,000 soldiers, 1,700 of whom are female.

“The message to my female soldiers is that I need you for the duration,” Cucolo said in the phone interview. “Please think before you act.”

Cucolo said he discussed the ban with his commanders, including a female battalion commander and a command sergeant major, and all agreed with the rule. All soldiers were briefed about the pregnancy ban as early as last summer, and instructed to think about the importance of keeping “every soldier in the fight.”

“I can’t tell you how valuable my female soldiers are,” Cucolo said. “They fly helicopters. They run satellites. They’re mechanics. They’re medics. Some of the best intelligence analysts I have happen to be female. You start losing them when you’re facing a drawdown, and you really hurt the unit.”

Cucolo said the order had been vetted by his legal advisers. The inspector general for Iraq, Col. David Thompson, has said the order is legal.

No other units in Iraq have instituted similar rules on pregnancy, military officials said. A spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan said there was no pregnancy ban there.

I hope the blade they used wasn't rusty.

FOUR pregnancies in Captain Starbuck's company?

This problem is a festering, self-inflicted wound which will never be honestly discussed. Too many careers have been destroyed in the past from trying to stand up to this stuff that smart officers will just look the other way and let their womenfolk decide when they've had enough soldiering and want to go home.

General Cucolo might well be called back to DC for "consultations" and shipped off to run a recruiting battalion in Wyoming or something appropriate for his indiscretion.

One of the female soldiers declined to say who impregnated her and the unit “let it drop,” Cucolo said, adding that he had no plans to further investigate paternity.

“I’m in a war zone,” he said in a phone interview with Stars and Stripes late Monday. “I don’t have time for that.”

This golden answer should come from soldiers as they are really looking damn busy in critical war zones.

Abortion on the spot should be done and this pact should be signed before the soldiers accept this mission.

Why not mandate birth control for the duration of the deployment? Since the services have no problem mandating anthrax shots prior to deployment for all military members, why not apply the same logic to this problem. A simple birth control shot every three month would alleviate the current situation. If some women are unable to take the shot for some reason they could use other methods such as the pill.

Not only would this prevent pregnancies resulting from consensual intercourse, but this would also prevent pregnancies resulting from sexual assault. Not just soldiers but people in general will always try to have sex so why not use available methods to prevent undesired outcomes.

AP foreign, Friday December 25 2009
LOLITA C. BALDOR

WASHINGTON (AP) A recent military policy that added pregnancy to the list of reasons a soldier could be disciplined in a war zone will be rescinded by a new order drafted by the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

Gen. Raymond Odierno has drafted a broad new policy for the U.S. forces in Iraq that will take effect Jan. 1, and that order will not include a controversial pregnancy provision that one of his subordinate commanders enacted last month, according to the U.S. military command in Iraq.

Odierno's order comes about a week after the pregnancy policy issued by Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo triggered a storm of criticism. Cucolo had issued a policy that would allow soldiers who become pregnant and their sexual partners to be punished.

The order listed a variety of offenses, and the punishments for them could range from minor discipline to a court-martial. But in a conference call with reporters earlier this week, Cucolo said he would never actually seek to jail someone over the pregnancy provision.

And he said the policy was intended to emphasize the problems created when pregnant soldiers go home and leave behind a weaker unit.

U.S. military leaders in Iraq conducted a full review of all existing orders as part of the ongoing transition in Iraq, and a new general order has been drafted. The order would consolidate several general orders from the U.S. commanders across Iraq. That policy, the military said Thursday, will not include the pregnancy provision.

Previously, the commanders have had the authority to draft their own restrictions.

If ever anyone wondered how distant My Favorite Army's leaders are from the society they're sworn to protect ... this is the classic case study.

General Cucolo may be a wonderful soldier and kind to children and small animals, but he's an absolute bonehead dealing with cultural issues.

Guys like this just scare the be-Jesus out of me. Whatever the efficacy of the program he invented, it's unacceptability to the owners of his army (folks, that's us folks) could have been predicted by about 100% of the average citizens one would ask.

And with the demise of his incredibly stupid initiative goes also one more chunk of Army credibility. Self-inflicted wounds violate UCMJ Article 115 Malingering. Charge this bozo.

Well, sometimes the conventional wisdom contains wisdom. In this case, wise or not, it contains the judgment of the American public on matters of gender equality. The military serves the public, without a caveat that says 'unless we think the public doesn't get it.'

Personally I welcome the societal changes to greater equality over my lifetime. Personally I think the military Services have struck a pretty good balance between readiness and gender equality. But those opinions would not matter were they not in concert with the main beliefs of the society our military is sworn to protect.

It's either or. Either the military stands for and represents the people it's sworn to protect. Or it's a band of mercenaries.

And my second point, related, would be that the distance between society's views and those represented by this Cucolo cat is its own problem. Not for society, for the military. Being out of touch with American reality is not a good characteristic in an Army general. Being a common problem in a lot of the flags is of concern - makes one wish for Willie and Joe to keep clowns like Cucolo calibrated.

Ducky, every time this subject comes up instead of arguing the points you attempt to imply that people are either racist or hate women, either way, you are way off and your red herrings are a bit insulting but I have come to expect that from you. You can't argue the facts so try and re-frame the argument into going after the person in the debate with you by attempting to say that they either hate women or are similar to racists. Fine, we cand o that if you like. So, there is no difference between men and women? Hmm...I better go get my estrogen levels checked, start on the pill and schedule a pap smear then and do it asap. I wonder what my children will look like as they pass through my womb since genders are nothing more than a social construct in your world? Your "same arguments" fall flat at the start and are a bit disturbing. I have to hope that you are either to far removed from the topic, have a personal stake (like a female family member in the service?) or just not able to differentiate things due to an almost zealot avoidance of facts.

As for the society "I decry", last I checked my oath is to the Constitution and that "law of the land" you talk about, hmm...where is it written in our "laws" that two groups are treated differently at all times and it is ok? I thought we were not supposed to do that anymore? Did I miss something enacted recently? Please tell me what law says we are supposed to hold people to two different standards and then preach equality and merit in the ranks? I would love to read that "law of the land" when you get a moment to show me.

As for the "Aye, Aye Sir" comment, I know I have heard at some place that we are always supposed to advise and critique our leaders at all times behind closed doors, just not in front of the "boys" or in public in our uniform. We are not nor should we ever stop attempting to tweak things to make them better, people who do that "Aye, Aye Sir" stuff are called automatons, they do not fare well in combat but I am sure it worked for some, not sure who, but I am sure someone used that line or reason and could afford to do so in times of peace since they would never see the consequences of that line of thinking.

While I appreciate your service as someone who is still serving, (I mean that) I still think officers like you were and are dangerous. Reminds me of people who think leadership comes from "don't rock the boat", "Go along to get along" or instead of dong something constructive like enforce standards, increase combat training, etc..they buy berets to improve morale and who later talk of the mistakes made with prior leaders but were far to in love with there own rank to resign of course for moral reasons while they were on AD. Basically someone who takes the easy way out, not the right way. Some of this is not the officers fault, they are in spots for 2 years and move on, all the while getting more and more removed from the reality on the ground or deck in the Navy's case. While I may understand people being a product of the environment they were trained in, it does not mean I excuse it or will not advocate for a change in it.