Single Mothers in the Military: Kids or Country?
Not since “Octomom” has a single parent sparked the kind of contentious debate about responsibility and motherhood that Alexis Hutchinson has.
A 21 year-old Army cook and single mother, Hutchinson made headlines for refusing to deploy to Afghanistan, saying she had no one to care for her 10 month-old son during the year she was scheduled to be overseas. She is no longer in a relationship with her child’s father, and her overwhelmed mother was unable to keep baby Kamani.
The Army gave Hutchinson a 30-day extension to work out a new child care plan. More than a month later, when the soldier-mom defied orders to board her unit’s flight to Afghanistan, she was arrested by military police and briefly jailed, while Kamani spent the night in the care of child services.
According to the Army, parent-soldiers who can’t find suitable caregivers for their children can be disciplined—or honorably discharged. Hutchinson’s lawyer insists that her client is not using motherhood as a ploy for discharge, and is simply torn by competing responsibilities to serve her country and raise her son. “These women are given a choice which is a very bad one to face,” said the lawyer, “Deploying and abandoning your children, or refusing your orders and facing charges.”
More that 30,000 single mother soldiers have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army says Alexis Hutchinson is not entitled to special treatment. Blogs and message boards have been swamped with opinions. “She should get a dishonorable discharge,” was a common sentiment. “Once you enlist, you give up the right to decide if you will or will not fight,” one person wrote. “I would not want to be in a war zone and be depending on her to protect my life,” another said. “How many thousands of men would love not to have to be deployed because they are fathers?” asked a grandfather whose son is serving in Afghanistan.
But others defended the mother who refused to go to war. “If she can’t find acceptable placement for her child, she should not deploy…this is really a no-brainer,” said one. “My hat is off to this young lady for getting her priorities in order,” wrote another. Since she’s not going to “contribute much to defeating the Taliban,” another reasoned, it’s “worth it” to let her stay home and raise her child to “become a contributing member of society.”
Tell us what you think: Under the circumstances, what should Alexis Hutchinson’s first responsibility be—serving her country, or staying with her baby? Should parents be deployed to combat areas?
Add Comment Share This
Comments
when do teen moms get pregnant
i think i might be pregnant where do you go an get pregncy test at thx.
Ebony Mari LeBlanc | 2 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Active duty for mothers with young babies
I am an Navy Mom and daughter seves her country and has a small child. When joining the military you know there is a chance you can be deployed, therefore I beleive you should do all you can to not get pregnant. Why put your child through this. However, it happens. Women in the military has made it hard to draw a line on what special compensations they should get. In the corporate world women get time off when they have their child and also have work life balance to care for them. I think the Military needs to adjust their rules for mothers. They should still have to serve in another capacity and definetly not get a Dishonarable discharge. A Dishonarable discharge will make it very difficult to find work. This would be a life sentence of shame. That is not the solution.
Roseanna M Pollizi | 2 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Active duty for mothers with young babies.
I think she should get to stay home with here baby a little more time tell she can find a place for her baby. It’s the right thing to do a mother needs time to know her baby is going to be safe. so just give her more time theirs always other solders to go and fight. If she don’t go it’s not like the worlds gunna die.
Amber Blankenship | 2 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Irresponsible
You join to fight for the country, NO matter what!!!! If you want to be a mother accept the fact you started serving your Country before a child. . . . So you should of done what we all do and wear protective gear! Plain and simple you were not Married and had a bit a fun but, BUT you started serving my country as well as yours before you brought another human in this Disaster of a world!
PLAIN n SIMPLE Do whats right, in the Military a kid is no EXCUSE to abandon your own flight! DISCHARGE Under Dishonorable Charges
Troy Coyn Jones | 2 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
If you didnt board you must want out
Last paragraph in the story, I say again the Lady started as a Soilder and has never heard of a (RUBBER!). It happenes alot. I have friends that have done the same thing! How is it said I think i smell a hood rat, do not mark my words its a personal opinion!!
Troy Coyn Jones | 2 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Active duty for mothers with young babies.
I think she should get to stay home with here baby a little more time tell she can find a place for her baby. It’s the right thing to do a mother needs time to know her baby is going to be safe. so just give her more time theirs always other solders to go and fight. If she don’t go it’s not like the worlds gunna die.
Amber Blankenship | 2 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Dont Spread em 4 another Dude! Make it Last
TCBJ | 2 months ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Single mothers in the military.
As anyone who has ever served in any militray branch, they know that if Uncle Sam wanted you to have a family, he would have issued one to you! In this instance, why did she NOT APPLY FOR A HARDSHIP DISCHARGE or COMPASSIONATE REASSIGNMENT. I do not believe she should be punished for not deploying, rather to try to work out some way to deal with this problem. I am aware from following this newsstory that her original provider for care bolted at the last minute and her means of caring for her infant was dashed. I believe that compassion should be the key here.
Thomas Coates | 1 month, 3 weeks ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
Single mom
Well, my comments on this issue is that she has to go regardless, because she had enough time to apply for hardship discharge while she was pregnant & she didn’t do that. futher more she needs to understand her duties as a militarian, she has signed for this, any how, she still has to go. My last thought of this matter though, I believe that she is afraid and that is why she refuses to go on duty, specially after she sees & hear on tv how many soldiers that are dieying on combats every minutes or hours.
Minouche | 1 month, 3 weeks ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
i vote take care of your baby
there are alote of people in the military your baby only has one mom
heidi lepage | 1 month, 3 weeks ago
Add Comment | Post Reply
1 2 3 > Last » (5 pages)