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http://www.canada.com/national/story.asp?id=01FDB0EC-3641-491C-A6B8-D706B25ED992
Canadian soldiers caught ‘fraternizing‘ to be disciplined
Chris Wattie
CanWest News Service
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
CREDIT: Canadian Press
THE FLAG GOES UP IN KABUL: Even husbands and wives who serve together may not get together.
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KABUL -- By official orders, 1,900 Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan will remain celibate for their entire six-month tour with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF): a kiss, even holding hands with another soldier or civilian is grounds for disciplinary action and a one-way ticket home.
The Camp Julien policy on "fraternization" -- the military‘s euphemism for sex -- brooks no funny business whatsoever, even between the handful of married couples with both spouses deployed to Afghanistan.
The camp‘s standing orders read: "To ensure operational effectiveness through maintenance of discipline, morale, and cohesion, Canadian contingent members of TFK [Task Force Kabul] shall not engage in personal relationship activities while present in the TFK [area of operations]."
One soldier, whose wife is also a member of the Canadian battlegroup, called the policy on "personal relationship activities" ridiculous.
"There‘s guys whose wives are back in Canada who‘ve talked to them more often than I‘ve talked to my wife," said the soldier, who did not want his name used. "I‘m lucky if I get to see her once a week."
He said because of the "frat policy" he and his wife have to take separate planes to their mid-deployment vacation -- a brief leave that all members of the mission get during the six-month deployment -- even though they are both going to the same resort. "If one of us was in prison, at least we‘d get conjugal visits," he said sourly.
About 10 per cent of the Canadian troops in Afghanistan are female, but there are also a number of women among the civilian workers and contractors living on the camp.
Captain David Sinclair, the military lawyer for the Canadian battlegroup, said that the rule was established as a matter of maintaining discipline within the ranks, discipline which he said was vitally important to their mission and ultimately the safety of the troops.
"It‘s the little things that add up to make a safer environment -- to save lives ultimately."
Violations of the policy will result in a charge under Section 129 of the National Defence Act, "conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline," Sinclair said, which carries penalties ranging from detention (a military jail term) or demotion, to a fine or extra duties, down to a simple caution.
"It depends on the circumstances," he said.
The offenders will, however, almost certainly be sent back to Canada, depriving them of their allowances for overseas duty, hardship pay and other bonuses.
Sinclair said no charges have yet been laid for fraternizing, but some soldiers on guard duty in the camp say there are already a handful of couples sneaking into dark corners to "engage in personal relationship activities," activities which are readily apparent to sentries equipped with night-vision goggles (NVG).
"It‘s amazing what you can see with NVGs," one private said with a knowing grin.
© Copyright 2003 Vancouver Sun
***
Jeebus help those horny troops. I foresee a lot of dates with Rosy Palmer. Oh wait, would that be frat too?
Canadian soldiers caught ‘fraternizing‘ to be disciplined
Chris Wattie
CanWest News Service
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
CREDIT: Canadian Press
THE FLAG GOES UP IN KABUL: Even husbands and wives who serve together may not get together.
ADVERTISEMENT
KABUL -- By official orders, 1,900 Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan will remain celibate for their entire six-month tour with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF): a kiss, even holding hands with another soldier or civilian is grounds for disciplinary action and a one-way ticket home.
The Camp Julien policy on "fraternization" -- the military‘s euphemism for sex -- brooks no funny business whatsoever, even between the handful of married couples with both spouses deployed to Afghanistan.
The camp‘s standing orders read: "To ensure operational effectiveness through maintenance of discipline, morale, and cohesion, Canadian contingent members of TFK [Task Force Kabul] shall not engage in personal relationship activities while present in the TFK [area of operations]."
One soldier, whose wife is also a member of the Canadian battlegroup, called the policy on "personal relationship activities" ridiculous.
"There‘s guys whose wives are back in Canada who‘ve talked to them more often than I‘ve talked to my wife," said the soldier, who did not want his name used. "I‘m lucky if I get to see her once a week."
He said because of the "frat policy" he and his wife have to take separate planes to their mid-deployment vacation -- a brief leave that all members of the mission get during the six-month deployment -- even though they are both going to the same resort. "If one of us was in prison, at least we‘d get conjugal visits," he said sourly.
About 10 per cent of the Canadian troops in Afghanistan are female, but there are also a number of women among the civilian workers and contractors living on the camp.
Captain David Sinclair, the military lawyer for the Canadian battlegroup, said that the rule was established as a matter of maintaining discipline within the ranks, discipline which he said was vitally important to their mission and ultimately the safety of the troops.
"It‘s the little things that add up to make a safer environment -- to save lives ultimately."
Violations of the policy will result in a charge under Section 129 of the National Defence Act, "conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline," Sinclair said, which carries penalties ranging from detention (a military jail term) or demotion, to a fine or extra duties, down to a simple caution.
"It depends on the circumstances," he said.
The offenders will, however, almost certainly be sent back to Canada, depriving them of their allowances for overseas duty, hardship pay and other bonuses.
Sinclair said no charges have yet been laid for fraternizing, but some soldiers on guard duty in the camp say there are already a handful of couples sneaking into dark corners to "engage in personal relationship activities," activities which are readily apparent to sentries equipped with night-vision goggles (NVG).
"It‘s amazing what you can see with NVGs," one private said with a knowing grin.
© Copyright 2003 Vancouver Sun
***
Jeebus help those horny troops. I foresee a lot of dates with Rosy Palmer. Oh wait, would that be frat too?
