New Army Directive on Pregnancy

Tue., Dec. 22, 2009

Soldiers under in Iraq received a new order intended to prevent pregnancies from occurring while on deployment. The commander, General Anthony Cucolo, who is in charge of about 22,000 soldiers stationed in northern Iraq, described the policy as an insurance measure to prevent losses in ranks and maintain operational capacity. The order prohibits the impregnation of a soldier or becoming pregnant, which ultimately “results in the redeployment of the soldier.” Violation of the directive would normally be grounds for a court-martial, but the commander stated that such a drastic response would not be pursued. 

The move has attracted quite a bit of attention, with many people expressing resentment towards it. Critics maintain that the rule infringes on soldier’s rights to engage in private relations, and is rather unnecessary. Some have even charged that Gen. Cucolo is merely attempting to attract attention from higher ranks to advance his career. 

To effectively assess the General’s order, one must analyze it from a war-fighting perspective, which what this really is. Cucolo is correct in trying to maintain the strength of his unit in a critical period of the Iraq War. This order does just that. When a soldier becomes pregnant in a combat environment it places a great burden on the soldier, her partner, and the unit. It is obvious how the pregnancy affects the female, who would be sent to the States, but it also affects the father. The father now has to deal with the responsibilities of a pregnancy in addition to the burden of deployment. Surely, the situation would adversely affect the performance of the soldier. The performance of the unit and its ability to satisfactorily complete the mission might also be reduced. A loss incurred by the redeployment of the female, especially one that holds a highly specialized position, is undebatable. 

The General has taken a proper step towards protecting his unit, and their ability to participate in a important phase of the War in Iraq, which includes a withdrawal. Northern Iraq is not the place to become pregnant, and have a child. I think the order is consistent with a legitimate interest of the armed forces, and protects the troops there rather than burdening them.