I was picking up some broccoli for dinner last night, and saw two soldiers, a husband and wife, whom I got to know in Iraq. They looked happy. The first time I met the wife was at a combat lifesavers course. As part of the training, we all had to “stick” an IV, and have one stuck in us. Mrs. Soldier has an aversion to needles, and she was looking pale and jumpy. Turns out that she successfully avoided the needle that day.
In our division, the 42nd Infantry Division headquartered in New York, male and female soldiers were not allowed to enter the CHU of the other gender, pretty much for any reason. Didn’t matter if there were several soldiers there. Husbands and wives thus had to discuss family matters in the chow hall, or sitting outside, somewhere with no privacy. Outside wasn’t always that pleasant when it was 115 degrees and mosquitoes were buzzing around. If they wanted to discuss their children left back home, or money, take it outside.
The real point was that soldiers weren’t supposed to be having sex. However, sexual relations weren’t forbidden; you just had to find a bunker or a vehicle or an office to have sex. Other FOBs allowed married soldiers to live together. On our FOB, even soldiers who worked together all day couldn’t watch a movie together off duty. Several soldiers lost rank for being in a CHU with the other gender.
So, the husband and wife saw each other probably daily, but had to ignore the physical aspect o
f their relationship. Public displays of affection were forbidden, so they couldn’t hold hands, or lean against each other. No wonder they look happy now.At right is a picture of a male soldier, taken about 0700 a couple of weeks before we left. Note the pajama bottoms. The female soldier is packing up her CHU. He is entering the items she packs onto a packing list (some DA form) as she packs them. He couldn't go in her CHU, so he sat at the doorway.
4 comments:
i've been following your blog for a while but never posted before. first off i'm glad you made it home ok. secondly i was a hole snipe in persian gulf 1 so i try to hear what really going on in the sand without hearing clowns like kevin sites in the msm. third it just makes no sense to me at all that 2 soldiers who are married in the same unit would have to live separtely.i can see why you would have restrictions on soldiers who are single but a married couple???? man i'm glad i never joined the reserves. i honestly don't know how some of youse manage to be honest. i just couldn't see how you can do something like being a soldier,sailor,marine,airman on a part-time basis. it ain't like riding a bike you know. but anyway congrats on a good job done. sooner or later haji is going to have to take charge and then iraq is their problem.
Glad you're back home - You were just about ready to leave Iraq when I found your blog, so haven't read you for long. Hope things go well for you in your "new" circumstances. ;)
Thank you for your service, Sir. I think y'all have done good work for which you can always be proud.
Don't ask, don't tell! When will America become enlightened enough to allow heterosexuals to serve in the military?
I can totally relate to that - i have been dual military all of my married life - so sometimes my husband and I act like we are total strangers... Why is it ok for a fellow soldier to come up to me and give me a hug or linger and it be ok or even funny.... but if it were the husband - we would be wrong! crazy
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