So Now What?

This issue now begs the question - So Now What?.

     If the status quo is to simply go along as we always have because that is easier than dealing with the implication of military stalking and abuse within the Army National Guard, then this type of event will continue to occur and those that speak out against them will continue to be Black Listed.

     In an effort to address the behavior of predatory stalking, often ignorantly referred to as "NCO chasing", "the cost of doing business", or "I can't help who I am attracted to"; it is time the leaders in today's military take an aggressive stand and place a zero tolerance on this behavior.

     The odd thing is that soldiers on Active Duty take this issue very seriously. They receive annual and semi-annual classes and training on the sensitive subjects of stalking, date rape, excessive drinking, and fraternization. Where does the break down lie? Is the Army National Guard leadership and members left out of this requirement? Are they lacking the training?

     Sadly the answer is no. Each component is required to have this training during MUTAs and before deployment. The difference is, the Army National Guard doesn't take it seriously. In the case in point, the females who became pregnant in a war zone were given birth control pills and condoms for no charge. They were briefed on becoming clearing barrels for the men who would use them and then leave them and go home to their spouses. They were told that the mission comes first.

     Yet in 9 cases, within the same company females became pregnant in a war zone. These pregnancies resulted in a loss of personnel strength and a weakened battle force. The females were sent home by way of a REFRAD station where they continued to receive a military paycheck until they gave birth to their bastard children.
When an investigation was conducted and sworn statements were signed these girls lied, under oath and nothing was done. The something that could have been done involved a lot of paperwork and the Active Duty Army did not want to deal with it and the Army National Guard unit involved sure as hell didn't want anything to do with it.




     The men from within the unit who fathered the children should have been brought up on chrages - conduct unbecoming and adultery. The women should have been charged with lying under oath and conduct unbecoming, but they weren't. No one wanted to go down that long paperwork trail.

     When these folks returned home, the men involved (in some cases) moved out of their spouses home and into the new home of the female they impregnated while at war.

     My issue with all of this behavior is the implication that it is easier to go with the status quo than it is to do the right thing. The weight of the paperwork outweighed the choice to do nothing. Therefore this behavior continues to occur because history has proven time and time again that nothing will become of your adultery or your conduct unbecoming.