Mothers, the military and sexism: men what's your POV.?

Question

i answered a question earlier in the parenting forum from a young mother who wanted to join the navy and it made me think about something. isn't it sexist in a way that mothers to be have the option to get out of the military but fathers to be do not? i wondered that quite a bit actually when i was married to an airman. this young lady was concerned about college money as are a lot of enlistees which i understand. i suggested she apply for student loans. i have a friend who did get out of the air force when she had her baby and i see why she did that. so i guess i have two questions. one, should mothers/parents join the military? two, should women be given the option to get out of the military when they are pregnant?

Answer 1

In an ideal world yes, only those without children would be in the military.  However we would never be able to have a sizeable military if this was the case in reality.

If the woman is unable to fulfill her duties while pregnant and other jobs, such as office work, which would allow her to complete her commitment are not available, then yes the woman should be able to take a leave of her contract to military but not completely break it.

For example: If a woman signs for four years and get pregnant at the begining of the third year, she should be able to quit for a set amount of time and then return for a year to finish what she promised to do.

Answer 2

Yes parents have a right to join the military and should be allowed to keep those rights.  A pregnancy discharge is now voluntary and women fought for it to be that way.  I don't know a lot of men that serve that would require leaving the military because their significant other got pregnant unless she was having problems that would require her spouse to be there; and then we would be allowed a voluntary discharge.

Answer 3

well ...the men do not run the risk of losing their babies due to some of the responsibilities of the job.

Answer 4

Either parent has the option to get out of the military....the thing is they have to PROVE they have no one else to take care of the child during deployment.  All relatives of the child have to sign a paper stating they are unable or unwilling to take care of the child.

15-20 years ago pregnancy was an automatic discharge...for any woman married or not.

Nope a married father doesn't have the option and neither does a married mother.  Only way for someone to get out b/c of kids is.....if there is NO other adult to take care of the child.

Dual military is different...either one has the choice it's left to the couple.

Answer 5

Yes women should be allowed to get out to raise their kids. Women and men are different-this is observation of fact and not "sexism".

Answer 6

No!!!!!!!!!!

You have it only half right. A mother in the military only has that option when she's pregnant in the first six months of being in the military. Anytime after that firs six months, the only thing a single mom and/or pregnant woman can get out of is a deployment, due to her conditions, and sometimes in a case that she has no one to trust to look after her child.

And actually, i know a single dad who has custody of his two children who got out of a deployment because he couldn't leave his children with their mother, who happened to be a drug addict. So it actually works both ways, however of course it's more often a woman is going to have custody of children than you would see a military man having custody.

Answer 7

I believe mothers should be allowed to join the military. I also think it's irresponsible for them to become pregnant once they are in, hence there'd be no need to release them from duty.

The Mrs says ideally only those without children should join the military. I'm of the opposite belief; that those with children should be the only ones to join the military. If our children are our immortality, then what better way than to insure it in the one profession where death is the object. (Of the enemy, hopefully) And what better reason to serve than to protect your kids.

Answer 8

Yes is discrimination.

But, a pregnant woman cannot do combat, nor a child should be left without their parents.

For better or worse a man can combat when his wife is pregnant so there is no physical reason to let him take a leave. I know, that he can be killed and never see his son or daughter.

Yes, is discrimination, but I don't really see a way of ending it without incredibly lowering the amount of people ready for combat. As it will be creating a loophole in which a man can simply make a woman pregnant to avoid going to combat.

Answer 9

I think political correctness can go too far.

There are differences in people, and treating everyone the same based on subgroup is also descriminatory.

Women generally have more social intelligence than men and men are generally more agressive, and physically stronger.

Women generally have more family obligations caring for kids. Some things like breast feeding and having children men will never be good at, no matter what their legal rights might be.

People are different. treating them all the same is discriminatory if it is not done on a case by case basis.

Not really quite adressing your specific issue, but it may add to your thoughts.