I agree with Steve on this except one point....We have to do something about
this. I can't accept that it will never get fixed. What I don't know is
what to do. Do we send this story to our military leaders in the hopes that
they will "fix it"? I've seen another version of this story (see my earler
post) and I'm sure there are more like it, so maybe the "word" is out?
I'm all for males and females in the Army, but there has got to be something
that can be done to stop problems like this.

Sunny

"Leslie Swartz" wrote in message
...
Nick and All:

The tragic story related below is the norm, not the exception. The
poisons that flow- continuously- into our system of discipline and morale
from these situations erode unit cohesion, respect, and esprit to a degree
far greater than the leadership ostriches would care to recognize.

I've been in the war since 1978 and situations like this have existed
and
transpired at virtually every unit I have ever been assigned to. In every
case, superior-subordinate relationship or not, sexual relations among
servicemembers (married or not) create distrust, feelings of inequity,
loss
of respect, and a general sense of what the army types call "Drama."

Even if nobody gets pregnant- even if nobody files a grievance- even if
nobody gets divorced- even if the woman doesn't throw the trump (rape)
card-
even under the most "happy ending" of circumstances, these situations (at
best) erode mission effectiveness in incalculable ways.

Is this a hidden cost of gender integration? Is this a natural result
of
hormones + stress = sex? Is the problem not the sex, but the reactions of
those not directly involved?

We can't begin to solve this problem until first, we recognize there is
a
problem; and second, determine exactly what the problem is. But due to
the
questions this problem will inevitably raise, we will never reach the firs
t
step. I have had this conversation with many commanders and colleagues
over
the years. Recognizing that there is a problem in the first place is
something the leadership will never be able to stand.


Steve Swartz


snip see my earlier post for the story...