Army Major General Anthony Cucolo III bans pregnancy in Iraq
December 22nd, 2009 - 1:41 am ICT by Aishwarya Bhatt ( 5 comments )Baghdad, Dec 21 (THAINDIAN NEWS) In a bizarre order, Army general Anthony Cucolo III has banned pregnancy for all the military personnel who serve under him, in Iraq. However he does have a fair and just order, as this surprising order applies to both the male and the female soldiers, who serve under him in Iraq.
According to the order, ‘Female soldiers will be punished if they get pregnant and male soldiers will be punished if they are the father’. This order is already in effect from Nov. 4, 2009, and will remain in place until an unspecified time. According to a source, “Anyone who becomes pregnant or impregnates another service-member, including married couples assigned to the same unit, could face a court-martial and jail time.”
“I’ve got a mission to do, I’m given a finite number of soldiers with which to do it and I need every one of them,’ Maj Gen Cucolo said in the defense of his unique order. “So I’m going to take every measure I can to keep them all strong, fit and with me for the twelve months we are in the combat zone.”
The pregnancy is a lawful order, according to Col. David S. Thompson, inspector general for the soldiers in Iraq. So far there are no known violations of the Army General in Iraq pregnancy ban.
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Tags: army general, combat zone, female soldiers, finite number, inspector general, iraq baghdad, jail time, married couples, military personnel, pregnancy, s thompson, service member, soldiers in iraq, twelve months
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:35 am
Totally ridiculous!!!!!!
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:48 am
I thought this was a free country now you are telling people when they can and can not create life.
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:25 am
Okay, I think I will sound off on this one. As a retired service member, 20 years Navy, this is my view. Not only in combat positions as described above but extending to members assigned to sea going vessels I do not agree with pregnancy. Why you ask I’ll be happy to tell you. In my experience there is no replacement for that service member when they are found to be pregnant thus leaving the whole command short of personnel. Now you might say how one person can make a difference but until you have to pull that extra watch or lose a day of liberty to cover that person you would not understand. I feel that birth control should be required to the point where conception is controlled up to approximately 3 months before transfer or until the relief is on board. When we cannot effectively employ our fighting units, wither ground or sea, because of a lack of personnel, and then we have a big problem. Ours is a voluntary service and when you agree to serve you agree to be bound by the rules and regulations that are currently and maybe placed upon you for the good of the entire country not just your personal desires. Just my opinion.
STS1/SS Terry Winge
United States Navy, Ret.
December 27th, 2009 at 9:31 am
I thought such a order was already in place. I’ve deployed to Iraq twice and one of the things they brief you on is you can’t have sex while over there. I’m sure people do it anyway, but I agree with the order. A lot of times women Soliders will get pregnant to get out of a deployment or go home early. I’ve seen it at least 3-4 times and I believe it’s unfair. Thank God we have an all voluntary service and If a woman decides she wants to have kids she doesn’t have to join. Women play a major role in the Armed Forces and when depended on, being pregnant shouldn’t be an excuse to get out of combat.
December 27th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Totally agree with Terry & Joseph.