it's settled ... she didn't deploy and now ..

[natty bumppo 297]

A single mother who chose taking care of her infant over deploying to Afghanistan has been discharged, the Army said in a statement. When her unit deployed to Afghanistan in November, Alexis Hutchinson was missing from the plane. Her lawyer said she refused to go because there was no one to take care of her then 10-month-old son, Kamani, and she feared he would be placed in foster care.

But the Army contended that the young mother and now former Army specialist had plenty of time to sort out family issues and said she could face court-martial.

The issue was resolved this week, the Army said in a statement Thursday from Fort Stewart in Georgia, where Hutchinson was training.

"The soldier will not be tried by court-martial and therefore is not at risk of receiving a federal conviction," the statement said. " She is, however, reduced to the lowest enlisted rank, private, and subject to losing other military benefits from the Army and the Department of Veterans Affairs to which soldiers who serve honorably are entitled."

Before shipping overseas, every soldier must sign military Form D-A 53-05, which states that failure to maintain a family care plan could result in disciplinary action.

Hutchinson's attorney, Rai Sue Sussman, said the soldier informed the Army that her family care plan had fallen through and that there was no one to take care of her son.

She was granted a 30-day extension to deal with the issue but still was not ready to deploy after the extension had expired, the Army said.

"The investigation revealed evidence, from both other soldiers and from Private Hutchinson herself, that she didn't intend to deploy to Afghanistan with her unit and deliberately sought ways out of the deployment," the Army statement said.

Hutchinson could not be immediately reached for comment.

link

[GabiandVi 34]

Can't blame her. But it was the right decision on the part of the army as well.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Can't blame her. But it was the right decision on the part of the army as well.

I agree.

[natty bumppo 297]

waiting for the experts to appear and comment ... reads like a dishonorable discharge

[Danno 1,228]

This is the one case in a thousand.. that we hear about.

The military has a purpose and being a branch of employment for single mothers is not one.

What kind of country are we anyway to send a single mother off into a theater of war?

This obsession with treating Men as women and women as men has a price..... those who cheer this stuff on rarely pay that price.

Those small children separated from their only parent for a year or more DO pay that price.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

This is the one case in a thousand.. that we hear about.

The military has a purpose and being a branch of employment for single mothers is not one.

What kind of country are we anyway to send a single mother off into a theater of war?

This obsession with treating Men as women and women as men has a price..... those who cheer this stuff on rarely pay that price.

Those small children separated from their only parent for a year or more DO pay that price.

I don't think single parents should be allowed to enlist, but Danno - how would you deal with them once they are in the military? Automatic discharge as soon as they are pregnant? What about single fathers. Imagine a husband and wife both in enlisted, and one of them dies - would you automatically discharge the surviving spouse for being a single parent?

[Jenn! 918]

"The soldier will not be tried by court-martial and therefore is not at risk of receiving a federal conviction," the statement said. " She is, however, reduced to the lowest enlisted rank, private, and subject to losing other military benefits from the Army and the Department of Veterans Affairs to which soldiers who serve honorably are entitled."

Seems fair.

[Ban Hammer 13,333]

waiting for the experts to appear and comment ... reads like a dishonorable discharge

sounds like she got an article 15

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I'm pretty sure she knew sex could lead to birth. So this whole thing is poor planning on her part.

[Danno 1,228]

I don't think single parents should be allowed to enlist, but Danno - how would you deal with them once they are in the military? Automatic discharge as soon as they are pregnant? What about single fathers. Imagine a husband and wife both in enlisted, and one of them dies - would you automatically discharge the surviving spouse for being a single parent?

Yes I would.

Another choice would be to form "non deployable" units made up of such people who either can't or shouldn't be "shipped out."

To pretend these people are "ready to serve" is a joke if you only knew the mountain of waivers and family situations commanders are tasked with dealing with.

You do realize the movie "Private Ryan" was about removing her son from battle over sensitivities toward his MOTHER?

Edited February 12, 2010 by Danno

[alienlovechild 75]

Hutchinson, who's assigned to the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, joined the Army in 2007 and had no previous deployments. She is no longer in a relationship with the father of her 13-month-old son, Kamani.

Hutchinson had a plan — her mother in California, Angelique Hughes, had agreed to care for the boy. Hughes kept the boy for about two weeks in October before deciding she couldn't keep him for a full year, saying she was overwhelmed caring for other family members with health problems and special needs.

According to the Defense Department, there are more than 70,500 single parents on active duty in the U.S. military — about 5 percent of all service members. Nearly half of military single parents are in the Army.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_soldier_mom_deployment

Three years in the Army and no prior deployment with two wars going on?

She should have gotten a back up childcare plan or get the boot from the Army. Might explain why there are so few single parents in the military.

[PhiLandShiR 18]

I'm pretty sure she knew sex could lead to birth. So this whole thing is poor planning on her part.

Generally... people who join up with the military don't have superior planning abilities...

[luckytxn 2,264]

sounds like she got an article 15

That's what it was.

I remember a program once way back to the first Gulf war that showed many ladies in the military that had gotten themselves pregnant so they wouldn't have to deploy. Pathetic.

Also remember way back when woman were screaming to be allowed in a more combat role and the arguments were just this would happen.

[PhiLandShiR 18]

That's what it was.

I remember a program once way back to the first Gulf war that showed many ladies in the military that had gotten themselves pregnant so they wouldn't have to deploy. Pathetic.

Also remember way back when woman were screaming to be allowed in a more combat role and the arguments were just this would happen.

You need to remember that many who signed up, were there for the free ride to school, not to actually go out an... an... be shot at!!

Others signed up to defend the country.

One size does NOT fit all....

[Danno 1,228]

ONe of the biggest glaring examples of the fake, plastic and phony, "Womens Rights" movement is:....

No not defending Clinton the -serial ### grabbing Supervisor/ Governor/ President..... no, it's the silence of these fakes on the topic of- Registration for military Service.

It's 2012 males at 18 years of age are required to register.... females are not.

By what logic can these Groups claim to have no interest in this?