According to Yahoo News, Defense Department officials have drafted an amendment to the manual on courts-martial that would make it an offense for U.S. troops to use the services of prostitutes. If approved, that would make it a military offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice to have contact with a prostitute. The draft rule is open to 60 days public comment after being published in the Federal Register.
My favorite part of the article said: Gen. Leon J. LaPorte, commander of the 37,000 U.S. troops in South Korea, said another initiative started on the peninsula has been to “make on-base military life a more desirable experience, and attempt to diminish the seductive appeal of many of the less wholesome off-duty pursuits.” That effort includes offering expanded evening and weekend education programs, band concerts, late-night sports leagues and expanded chaplains’ activities.
That’s right: band concerts and late-night sports leagues.
Think of all those 1940 war stories that never would have happened.
Of course, we’ll continue to pay for cosmetic surgery for our troops, under the rubric of training surgeons.
Edit: After thinking about this more, it is even more boneheaded. The DoD discourages relations between soldiers (yet it happens: remember that the female solider (whose name escapes me now) at the prison was pregnant at the time, from another soldier). Incidents of sexual harrassment are at an all time high in the military. And we’re going to repress libido even more. Just what we need, a bunch of repressed soldiers out there.
Look, prostitution is not a great thing, and I’m not advocating for it, especially when it is forced or exploitation is involved. But if it is chosen voluntary as a trade, with appropriate checkups and medical aspects, it can bring in significant income for people where income is scarce. Further, such a rule is unenforcible.
Are we going back to the days of saltpeter?
