The Invisible War

Watching American shows on television here in India, despite the delayed relays, tell you much more than How Ted Mosby met his Children’s Mother, or how Sheldon Cooper, Howard Wolowicz, Rajesh Koothrapalli and Leonard Hofstadter make the world of nerds a much more charming propensity than the world otherwise believes. It also tells you much more than the NYPD’s top lady cop and her writer-partner catching murderers, and much more than the FBI’s White Collar Crimes division forging a bond with an ex-Con to catch High Profile criminals. You’re probably wondering what the circumlocution is all about. Let me cut to the chase. I once watched an episode of Lie to Me, whose premise was similar to a documentary film that is quite the rage now –The Invisible War. Built around the sordid reality of military rape, both of these motion-picture depictions exposed the United States of America’s dark underbelly.

“Support Our Troops” has been a big phrase in US politics. But really, should anyone support troops that indulge in rape and then disgusting cover-ups to keep things under wraps? The Department of Defence estimates that over 19,000 women and men were assaulted in 2010 alone. Around 500,000 women and men have been raped or sexually assaulted since World War II, in the military ranks of the United States of America. Nearly 80 per cent of survivors never report for fear of retaliation and intimidation. Though there is a zero-tolerance policy in place on paper, there is absolutely no explanation for why there are sexual predators and offenders in the military. Why does this happen? It turns out that unit commanders have the full and unfettered discretion to refuse to move forward with a case.

The easiest trick in the playbook is to blame the victim and let the rapist walk. The inspiration behind the Invisible War was Helen Benedict, who reported on women soldiers on Salon.com. She put in extensive research on why soldiers take to rape. Several factors are involved – a military culture of misogyny and patriarchy to illegal occupations and soldiers who have been abused as children. Until there is a cut in the chain of command from the process of prosecution, and prosecutions culminate in penalties, rape will remain an integral part of military service.

In its reckless pursuit of war-mongering on the global front, the United States is forgetting the Invisible War that is reality to its many women in its army.

Written by Kirthi Gita Jayakumar

Breastfeeding in the Uniform

Just a few weeks ago I wrote a post about women in the military and today another related article caught my attention.

The debate over public breastfeeding got a new wrinkle when two servicewomen with the United States Air Force released a series of professional photos taken of the young mothers breastfeeding in uniform. Terran Echegoyen-McCabe and Christina Luna are pictured nursing their babies on an Air Force base in an image that they said was intended to raise awareness of the right to breastfeed in public. The striking image has seen a flurry of comments, from supporters who say breastfeeding is a 'fundamental right' to another who compared it to 'defecating in uniform'.

The photos were taken for the Mom2Mom Breastfeeding Support Group, set up by a military wife and mother-of-three to raise awareness of all women's rights to breastfeed in public. Mrs Echegoyen-McCabe is pictured breastfeeding her 10-month-old twin girls on her lunch break during a drill weekend as a member of the Air National Guard. By her side is friend Mrs Luna who feeds her toddler.

“A lot of people are saying it’s a disgrace to the uniform,” said military Spouse and Mom2Mom founder Crystal Scott. “They’re comparing it to urinating and defecating.”

No one can agree on everything and everyone is 100 per cent entitled to their opinion. But to compare breastfeeding to other bodily functions like defecating and urinating? It's disheartening and saddening.'

As the members of the Air National Guard, these women do their best to fulfill their commitment to their country without sacrificing their commitment to their children. There is nothing wrong about these strong beautiful women fighting not just for the freedoms of this country but for themselves and their children. Breastfeeding is a fundamental right in or out of an uniform. Like one of the supporters said: they are still moms, no matter what.

“I have breast fed in our lobby, in my car, in the park… I pump, usually in the locker room,” says Echegoyen-McCabe. “I’m proud to be wearing a uniform while breastfeeding. I’m proud of the photo and I hope it encourages other women to know they can breast feed whether they’re active duty, guard or civilian“.

Robyn Roche-Paull, a lactation consultant and a U.S. Navy Veteran wrote a book and has a blog called Breastfeeding in Combat Boots (http://breastfeedingincombatboots.com/military-policies/) which aims to make women's position clearer while breastfeeding and serving their country.  As she writes: „There are NO polices or regulations in any of the military branches that either approve OR disapprove of breastfeeding in uniform”.  She said that arguments against were based on the fact that it shows a woman to be nurturing and therefore 'unprofessional'.

U.S. law states that a woman may breastfeed her child at any location in a Federal building or on Federal property.

Sources: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2153821/Military-slams-breastfeeding-moms-posed-uniform-nursing-babies-controversial-photoshoot.html
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/health/parenting/new-moms/breast-feeding/whats-wrong-military-moms-breast-feeding-uniform?page=2
by Natalia Alekseyeva