Military Births. Right or Wrong?

[Tacitursa]

What do you all think about people in the military having kids before or during active service.

The poll is mainly for Soldiers serving on the front line where death is a high possibility.

[Monarchist]

I believe they should try to postpone having children until after they've come back from doing their duty. It simply makes more sense. Surely, since there are many women in the U.S. Navy, more than half of the actual American naval forces are in dry-dock because they're pregnant. How helpful is that to the mother, child, or the country?

[blackwatersix]

I have army-brat buddies and I've met their friends whose fathers died in the service, it's really sad. It's not enough to say to a child that "Daddy died so that you can live in a free country." :'( It makes me cry when I hear stories like that. So for me it's better to not have kids while in active, frontline combat duty at least.

[Ciabhán]

Career soldiers always have the possibility of being sent in harms way. Are they not to have families because of it? What about a fella that serves his 4 years, gets out, does his two year active reserve stint, has kids during his 2 year inactive reserve time, gets recalled and sent off to war? What about the fellas who have high demand specialities or certain MOS's that put them on a short list of folks who could be recalled at any time during their lives until they reach the cut off age(not sure what it is nowadays)?

I had my first child while on active duty with a front line unit and things worked out fine. A friend of mine had a child(who is almost an adult now and well adjusted enough)and died 3 years later in an accidental automobile collision on his way to his 'safe' job as a paramedic. If the possibility of death on the job should limit ones having children then only the unemployed shut-ins of the world should have children. Cops, firefighters, EMTs and paramedics, construction workers, oil workers, steel workers, etc....Should they all be childless as well?

[Doctor]

Career soldiers always have the possibility of being sent in harms way. Are they not to have families because of it? What about a fella that serves his 4 years, gets out, does his two year active reserve stint, has kids during his 2 year inactive reserve time, gets recalled and sent off to war? What about the fellas who have high demand specialities or certain MOS's that put them on a short list of folks who could be recalled at any time during their lives until they reach the cut off age(not sure what it is nowadays)?

I had my first child while on active duty with a front line unit and things worked out fine. A friend of mine had a child(who is almost an adult now and well adjusted enough)and died 3 years later in an accidental automobile collision on his way to his 'safe' job as a paramedic. If the possibility of death on the job should limit ones having children then only the unemployed shut-ins of the world should have children. Cops, firefighters, EMTs and paramedics, construction workers, oil workers, steel workers, etc....Should they all be childless as well?

Well said, not anything I can really add to it so I will just say agreed.

[Taiji]

I would have no problems fathering a child and then killing a load of people, rather than killing a load of people then fathering a child.

But then I'm not so sentimental.

[Del Valle]

To me it is irresponsible to have a child before or during active service. Not only would you leave a widow if you were killed, but also a child without a father.

[Syron]

Why not expand this to anyone doing dangerous work?

I'm not even sure this is a moral issue.

[Farnan]

The whole idea of preventing Active Duty soldiers from having children is not only idiotic but immoral.

I know a lot of military brats and they are no more different (or normal) than people with regular parents.

[Tacitursa]

The whole idea of preventing Active Duty soldiers from having children is not only idiotic but immoral.

I know a lot of military brats and they are no more different (or normal) than people with regular parents.

It's not about the parents being regular or not. Its about having parents full stop. If a soldier dies while his child is still a baby for instance that child will grow up without a father or at least without a biological father.

[Farnan]

It's not about the parents being regular or not. Its about having parents full stop. If a soldier dies while his child is still a baby for instance that child will grow up without a father or at least without a biological father.

If a man dies in a car accident than the child will grow up without a biological father. Hell both parents can die in a car accident and they can die without parents. Should we ban people from having children if they drive cars? More people die in car accidents in one year, than American soldiers have died in combat since after Vietnam.

How about construction workers? Its the most dangerous job in America.

http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/construction

[Tiberius Tosi]

It's not about the parents being regular or not. Its about having parents full stop. If a soldier dies while his child is still a baby for instance that child will grow up without a father or at least without a biological father.

Dads shouldn't be allowed to drive then, driving is much more dangerous. That would solve more problems.

Honestly you expect a 20 year career soldier to never have children? The number of enlistees would plummet and the number of deserters or those kicked out for fathering a child would skyrocket. I would much rather have a dad who died when I was young in a war than one who never gave a about me and left my mom (no offense to those who have experienced that).

Farming is almost equally as dangerous as being a soldier (people don't realize it but it is very dangerous), and there the kids help with the farming! Therefore no farmers should be allowed to have kids either I guess, because that puts their parents and them at risk right?

[Playfishpaste]

Everyone has a right to have a child.

How they choose to raise that child is up to them as well, but if they do it in a way that is improper, the child will be removed from them.

Is it right for this child to be born in the first place then? Yes, very much so. "This person will be a bad parent" is not a valid justification to take away their rights to being a parent.

[Don in the North]

you know back several centuries ago it made more sense for soldiers to have children before going off on long wars.
if you die, what then becomes of your line, your surname?
why should todays soldiers be any different, when they face just as much risk of death? should they not also be allowed a child to carry on their name, their lineage and history?

[Exarch]

What do you all think about people in the military having kids before or during active service.

The poll is mainly for Soldiers serving on the front line where death is a high possibility.

the problem here is that we're assuming these soldiers PLANNED for these pregnancies
most of the time these combat soldiers just want a root before they go into action and can get potentially killed or wounded

female soldiers getting pregnant is a disgrace to the military

[Farnan]

the problem here is that we're assuming these soldiers PLANNED for these pregnancies
most of the time these combat soldiers just want a root before they go into action and can get potentially killed or wounded

female soldiers getting pregnant is a disgrace to the military

How about those pregnant from husbands?

[Exarch]

How about those pregnant from husbands?

military couples is alright, so long as they get to be together but the wives shouldnt even be in combat units at all; support, desk jobs, hospital etc is fine i reckon

[gambit]

Its sad but theres nothing wrong with it; simply bad circumstances. What are they gonna do anyway? force abortions?

[Ellsid]

The absurdity of the idea that members of a country’s armed service be proscribe restrictions on procreating while in service. As a former member of US military I find it completely illogical and stupid to think, I have less rights and privileges as a citizen than those I am serving to protect. The wills, life insurance and power of attorney documents were just irresponsible of me. I don’t know what prejudices that would create such an idea of restrictions.

[Mega Tortas de Bodemloze]

What do you all think about people in the military having kids before or during active service.

The poll is mainly for Soldiers serving on the front line where death is a high possibility.

Who is to say when and where a person may choose to bring a life into this world or adopt a child? {given of course they are stable and can support the new addition}. Is it your place or mine? If so then I would also institute and mandate that everyone must have pumpkin pie slathered in Cool whip topping with every meal.

No.....Dictating an individual's freedom of procreation is not our decision or right....IMO.

female soldiers getting pregnant is a disgrace to the military

Interesting... and how long have you been a member of the armed services? Since this statement is expressed as fact and not just one's opinion. As a service member I would say this statement is somewhat ....uninformed and whitewashes the scenario with broad strokes. As a whole community I can say that the US Army does not share this view....There are however individual cases where this statement is quite accurate....imo as a service member.

I believe they should try to postpone having children until after they've come back from doing their duty. It simply makes more sense. Surely, since there are many women in the U.S. Navy, more than half of the actual American naval forces are in dry-dock because they're pregnant. How helpful is that to the mother, child, or the country?

more than half of the actual American naval forces are in dry-dock because they're pregnant.

If you don't mind may I inquire as to the source of this information? As a US Taxpayer I can assure you I will follow this up and bring it to the forefront of public attention...