Armed Forces regulations aim to save lives
Charlottetown
The Guardian
11 June 2010
Is it fair or even reasonable to demand that consenting adults, living adrenaline-fuelled lives of adventure far from the comforts of hearth and home, resist the temptation to do what only comes naturally?
By that we mean, ah, cavorting with members of the opposite sex.
That's what Canada's Armed Forces expects of its members currently serving their country in dusty, dangerous Afghanistan. And to show how serious it is about its non-fraternization policy, it recently removed the man in charge of Canada's mission there after allegations surfaced about an inappropriate relationship he allegedly had with a female subordinate.
Brig.-Gen Daniel Menard was replaced before an official investigation even confirmed what Canadian Forces brass alleged, a move praised by top commander Gen. Walter Natynczyk as the right thing to do.
"When we put people in harm's way," Natynczyk told The Canadian Press, "we have to insist on a high level of discipline, no matter what we do . . . We hold our leaders to a high standard. They're held to account."
Surely the folks at the top deserve credit for treating a high-ranking soldier as they would a lowly grunt, but at the same time it's worth wondering whether they're asking too much in the first place.
Canada has a long history of integrating women with our Armed Forces. Nurses began serving with the military as far back as 1885, and nearly 3,000 of them served with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps in the First World War, with their roles and numbers expanding during the Second World War.
In 1989, the Armed Forces opened the floodgates, with women allowed to take active combat roles. We lost our first female combat soldier - Capt. Nichola Goddard - in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban in 2006.
Now, it's estimated women make up about 15 per cent of Canada's military forces.
With so many young Canadians sharing such close quarters, it's reasonable to expect some of them to take a shine to one another. But the direction from the top is clear - when it comes to romance, just say no.
Afghanistan is a dangerous place, where life-and-death decisions must be made under exceptional circumstances free of the emotional baggage that sometimes accompanies relationships between men and women.
So while Canadian Forces rules about fraternization might appear severe, they're necessary for the safety of all soldiers in the field - not just the ones who might succumb to the temptation presented by members of the opposite sex.