Army SPC Alexis Hutchinson failed to deploy with her unit claiming there was no one to care for her child. Nearly all of the coverage of that event has had the same theme - the big, bad Army people are trying to tear a mother away from her helpless infant. Anyone who has read my column in recent months can attest to the fact I'm probably as far from an Army mouthpiece as you can get. However, I'm not drinking the Kool-aid on this one. Whether or not individuals in SPC Hutchinson's chain of command made inappropriate remarks in an effort to compel her to perform the duty she volunteered for is certainly worth looking into, but there is another side to this story.
One of many striking omissions in the coverage of SPC Hutchinson's story has been the lack of information about the child's father. If this man is mentioned at all - it's only a passing reference such as this from SPC Hutchinson's attorney Rai Sue Sussman, "Hutchinson is no longer in a relationship with the father." How does the father's relationship with the mother negate the relationship with his son? Has America grown so accustomed to absent, irresponsible fathers that we just assume the guy cannot or will not step up and care for his child? Who is this man? Where is this man? Why isn't he part of this story along with the mother, SPC Hutchinson?
The Army is a fighting force. It is not designed to solve the social ills of America; nor should it be. Its purpose is to engage the enemy and defeat them. For every soldier that fails to deploy, another soldier is called up or the deployed unit must make do with one less person. Will everyone be so quick to cover the heartbreaking story of the soldier unexpectedly deployed to replace the one that failed to maintain a state of personal readiness and could not perform their assigned duty as a result? What if SPC Hutchinson's replacement turned out to be another single mom?
Nearly every time the issue of expanding the role of women in the military is broached, the issue of pregnancy and its affect on unit readiness rears its ugly head providing endless fodder for those against equality in the military. Are feminists willing to concede the point by failing to hold females accountable for their reproductive choices?
The relentless pace of deployments necessary to fight America's wars overseas has taken a huge toll on our Armed Forces. The Army can only do so much to alleviate the burden on the personnel at its disposal. Ultimately, it is up to our elected civilian leaders and by extension, the voting public, to address the issue. The case of SPC Alexis Hutchinson appears to be far more about the need for dual parenting and personal responsibility than Army policy.
Comments
Clearly, the father has not jumped up to claim responsibility. A decent father would have taken the child when he was aware that there was no one else to watch. Which would make this story nonexistant. So yes, we must assume it is "just another absent father". Sorry, but there's lots of them.
In regards to deploying her to afghanistan when she is the single parent of a 10 month old sounds like it would violate policy. I know in being drafted (much more strict than volunteering) it is a simply check off if you have a child under the age of 1, or leaving would put your family in severe financial harm (a farmer). You are not expected to be drafted. In the case of volunteering, I would expect these standards to be even more leniant. But leniancy is not even needed here. A 10 month old baby needs their mother (or father if that is the primary care giver). We don't hand our children over to other adults and leave for months on end.
She should have planned and prepare for child care services prior to her deployment. Single parents should not be exempt from deployment, Why? you are a soldier and your personal life should not interfere with your ability to perform you duties. Many others have to deploy multiple times, some are single parents also. If you can keep up with your job as a soldier, then you should seek separation from the military.
I am so happy to finally read an article that has taken both sides of this issue into consideration. There is much more to this story than the Army forcing a mother to choose between serving and motherhood. I know this specialist, and I know that this was a last ditch effort to keep from deploying to the Middle East. No one forced her to enlist during wartime. No one forced her to get pregnant after she enlisted. She needs to follow through with the commitment she made. The saddest part of this, from an insiders viewpoint, is that she is using her son as a pawn. And it looks like the media circus has become a part of the chess game as well.
You can think as you like but one thing cannot be discussed: it's cruel to divide a mother from her son. War is by far less important than this...
so, please, let's avoid useless rethoric of duty under the army..
everyone who pretend her to join the mission does't have a child.
why did kevin larson refused to answer questions about this case. why did he tell some reporters she wouldn't have to go when higher-ranking officers said she would. brown-noser
Your "other side" is a bunch of hypothetical posturing. She should have done this, could have done that. The father should be there etc etc etc. This was not a hypothetical situation, but one involving a real life baby , not a pretend one. You cannot BS your way around that and neither can the Army. That baby has constitutional rights and human ones. The baby is not US Army property, surplus.
The army lost ALL its arguments the second it put an american civilian child in "protective" custody. The order to deploy was invalid, they couldn't have proved it any better if they were trying to, and they full well know it.
It is my understanding that the 10 month old was given to a military child care provider to watch until Grandma could get there. This may be the very child care provider, or similar, that the Specialist used when reporting for regular duty.
Understand that at any point, she most likely could have requested an administrative separation. The military does not deploy members without childcare, true, but they also don't like to keep you around collecting the check in a stateside billet so others can do 3, 4 or more tours (btw, missing THEIR childrens' birthdays, graduations). So, she had to have guaranteed she'd be able to see to her child's needs in order to stick around.
We had three children while on AD. It is easier, actually, for the babies than for the older children.
First of all, "NotthatStupid", it is not the Army's fault the child was placed in protective custody. The mother of that child went AWOL, resulting in an arrest, which then led the child to being placed there. Don't blame the Army for this young woman's irresponsible actions.
Considering the timeframe of 3rd ID's deployment rotation, I would be surprised if this child's conception hadn't been a well-time way to get out of the division's deployment last year. While serving in the military, I have witnessed multiple females getting pregnant purposely to avoid deployment. This girl, as stated in a previous post from someone who claims to know her, apparently isn't above doing whatever she can to maintain her free ride, complete with 100% medical and dental benefits, free education, and 30 days of vacation a year.
She's wrong--end of story. She signed a contract with the Army. Part of the decision-making process of remaining in the military during and after pregnancy (which she could have gotten out of, if she choice) is the ability to find long term child care should you be deployed on a moments notice or, in her case, a couple of months notice. She was gambling that she wouldn't get deployed and she lost. Don't blame the Army for the situation she created for herself and her child.
I do not understand why people are taking her side on this. I just got back from a 12 month deployment in Afghanistan. I too am a single mother! The Army gives you AMPLE time to figure out what needs to be done. She had more than 8 months to figure out a plan for her child. THE ARMY IS NOT A FREE RIDE IN THIS RECESSION!! When you raise your hand and swear in, you are TOLD that the possiblity of deployment right now is high, and to expect it! Freedom is NOT free....What she does not understand is, There are OPTIONS..and she obviously did not look into it or take this situation of deploying as seriously as she should have. She will make MORE than enough money overseas to take care of her child 100% and still come home with 5 figures to indulge in herself!! NOt the Army's fault...IF ALL US OTHER SINGLE MOTHERS AND FATHERS HAVE TO DO IT..SO DOES SHE!! Ppl keep sayin "you should not divide the child and his mother" c'mon ppl are you serious? She divdied herself when she joined the Army!!
CoC's responsibility is to issue Lawful orders, and comply with
AR 600-200 in this case starting from Chapter 5, paragraph 5-5
If someone can show me where it says the CoC is to gaslight a female soldier who has a blown FCP with invalid orders to deploy and threats to make her abandon her infant and get on that plane I will own up to being a true idiot.
OCONUS assignment and deployment procedures are as follows:
(a) All single parent and dual-military couples with Family members who receive assignment instructions for an OCONUS assignment must be counseled again and must have their DA Form 5305 RECERTIFIED not later than 30 days before the final out-processing date at the losing installation. If an adequate Family Care Plan is not submitted within 30 days, the Soldier IS NOT CONSIDERED DEPLOYABLE, will not depart the command, and the commander will consider initiating involuntary separation proceeding.
Uniform Code of Military Justice
Article 134—General article
(3) Conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces (clause 2). “Discredit” means to injure the reputation of. This clause of Article 134 makes punishable conduct which has a tendency to bring the service into disrepute or which tends to lower it in public esteem. Acts in violation of a local civil law or a foreign law may be punished if they are of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces.
United States v. Vaughan, 58 MJ 29
child neglect, although not specifically listed in the Manual for Courts-Martial as an Article 134 offense, may be charged under that Article as a service discrediting offense; custom and regulation, state law, and military case law combine to meet the requirements for due process notice enunciated in Parker v. Levy, 417 U.S. 733 (1974))
Ordering a soldier to abandon their child is an unlawful order.
"...(clause 2). 'Discredit' means to injure the reputation of. This clause of Article 134 makes punishable conduct which has a tendency to bring the service into disrepute or which tends to lower it in public esteem."
I wonder if contacting the press with the story that the Army is forcing a single Mom to choose between abandoning her baby, or deploying, might serve to lower the public's esteem.
She needs to be put out. Send her to jail? As much as part of me says yes, I also realize that these last few years other military members have also unfortunalty chosen to go down the wrong path and received a slap on the wrist. I don't see a point in trying to make a case out of her, just get her out and move on. Both parties seem to be wrong in this story as it came out, but of course we only seem to have one version that they have tried to reword 2 or 3 different ways, but still lacking in any solid background info other than what she has let out in attempts to try to remove herself from any responsibilty. As an Army mom myself I am excitedly looking forward to this holiday season as it will be my first in 3 years with my husband and son, instead of in Iraq. Her case as it is presented still does not make me think she deserves to be home while others are not who wear the same uniform. Whoever took her place and the others in her unit she let down are the ones I feel for.
I forgot to mention but is has been bothering me, not that it is important but isn't 14 kids past the child to provider ratio for a home day care?
This situation is very sad. The soldier had a family care plan secure then a few days before she deploys her mother changes her mind. What do you expect this girl to do? I remember I got into a car accident 3 weeks before my deployment. I could barely walk and my car was still in the shop getting repaired. My commander told me that I should of got pregnant or fell down some stairs if I wanted to get out of deployment. They also told me that if my car wasn't out of the shop by the time I left I would have to sign my car over to somebody, anybody. I felt like I got abandoned by my superiors just to go downrange. It made me lose confidence in the Army. Because of that whole incident, when I got back to the states I didn't get paid for my injuries and my car insurance was raised because my case couldn't be closed out until I came back. If my unit let me stay on rear d for a month or two, heal from the accident and close my accident claim everything would of been ok.
If the father isn't there for the child now what makes you think that if she signed the kid over to him while deployed that he would actually care for and treat the child right? People need to quit hating coz' they had to deploy and leave their kids behind.
I understand that people get pregnant so they don't have to deploy. We had over 100 girls in my last brigade do it. It's wrong just fulfill your obligation. But I have been in the Army over 4 years and know how conniving they can be when it comes to deploying. The woman had a family care plan, it fell through. I don't have kids but it's no way in hell I would put them in a foster home. My family told me if I ever got pregnant and had to deploy they aren't taking care of him or her while I am gone so I might as well get out of the Army. I'm on Alexis' side.
I got a friend in the Army and she tells me all of the b.s. they deal with on a daily basis. It's very unfortunate that something like this had to happen. Doesn't the Army realize that the more stupid stuff they try to keep on the down low will eventually come to the light and it's not good when the media gets a whiff of these kind of stories. These soldiers work so hard to defend our country and they get treated like trash by their own people. It's very sad. I would rather be job searching or on un-employment and have freedom of choice (and be happy) then be in an organization where your voice is unheard. My friend has less 3 1/2 years left, she can't wait to get out!
They should give her a dishonorable discharge, she gets no benefits but she also never has to worry about ever being deployed again and no jail time, probabtion or anything.
Everyone commenting has overlooked several important points in wishing to take Hutchinson's side: 1) Her "backup plan" was NO plan at all. She KNEW her mother had an overpacked daycare AND another job - so how the H was her mother EVER going to be able to care for another child???; 2) Hutchinson got pregnant of her own choice. She KNEW the Army's policy yet she had a kid - this is her responsibility; 3) Absolutely everyone is letting Hutchinson off the hook for getting pregnant by a guy who had no interest in taking care of a child - that's child abuse in my book. The Army is NOT responsible for HER immature choices, selfish behavior, and lack of concern for her child - she showed THAT by getting pregnant without being married in a day & age where birth control is easy & cheap. And gee, who paid for her expensive braces? Maybe the Army? Military doesn't pay much but you get free medical - including childbirth.
I'm with the writer on this one! You signed up, you got pregnant, now fulfill your obligation. Just one more thing to make black women look bad. 20,000 single mothers and you're the only one who doesn't have a babysitter. Right!
Article 15 Dock pay 50% for 6 months.
Confine her to base, work and home for 1 year.
Dishonorable discharge after 1 months.
Either that or face a military jury with possible jail time.
Those should be her choices.
Is a country that deploys single mom's to active combat duty still worth fighting for? I kind of had the probably "old fashioned" idea, that the army by its actions was to protect the nation, the next generation that will form that nation. That policy to send single mom's abroad needs to be revised. I for one would never send a single mom out to perform combat duty.
Concur with No sympathy and hate to be harsh, but the user (spc hutchinson) knows what she is doing in the army...soaking up benefits for her bastard offspring. Her duty is in Afghanistan--not overpopulating the US. As a prior service Army female, I am disgusted by this silly child's choices. She is little more than scum on the US and insults women who have served before and serve with her. She deserves incarceration and should be sterilized.
She should be presented with a white feather after a courts martial with dishon discharge, forced to pay back all her maternity benifits and labbelled a COWARD for the rest of her life
Harsh or not, it's unfair for her to earn the same paycheck as the rest of us in uniform and be exempt from deployment. If she couldn't show up for work at Wal-Mart, she would be fired. Good reason or no, she chose to not go to her job. If she can't do it, she should get one that she can.
She should be presented with a white feather after a courts martial with dishon discharge, forced to pay back all her maternity benifits and labbelled a COWARD for the rest of her life
army sucks when it comes to helping family members.
usmc is much better they make sure your fam. is situated before deploying
This woman makes me sick. Thank God for men like David Bellavia - or where would this country be? Bellavia is nominated for the Medal of Honor for his bravery in Iraq (if you havent read his book shame on you "House to House: An Epic Memoir of War") He also has a new blog - check it out and see what he thinks about her. www.DavidBellavia.com
I would have took care of her baby...I'm sure a lot of people would have helped her carry out her duty for our country. Just MY thoughts.
the army does not suck when it comes to taking care of family members. my dad has been in the army since i was born & they have all sorts of family readiness groups & family support groups.
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