There’s an unmistakable controversy that never fails to smolder between women when the subject of males and females co-existing at sea or within a deployed unit gets raised. In my opinion, that controversy realistically accomplishes only one thing - letting the world know just how insecure a number of us really are about military marriage.
For what other reason would so many feel this anxious about females working side by side with their husbands at sea, about the numbers of soldiers requiring treatment for VD during sick call, about ‘who’ is doing ‘what’ with ‘whom’ while on liberty and keeping quiet about it?
Face it, those of us who become the most caught up in this furor constantly brewing over such hot issues as adultery, fraternization, and even - heaven forbid - the validity of port visits and weekend passes during deployment have obviously missed the most important factor in this debate completely.
Happily-married sailors and soldiers don’t feel the need or have any inclination whatsoever to be anything less than honorable military members and faithful spouses, period.
Females assigned to once exclusively all-male ships or units don’t change this fact. How frequently opportunities present themselves for spouses to cheat when they’re deployed doesn’t, either.
Sailors and soldiers who have respect for their co-workers regardless of gender, and spouses who believe in what they have at home, aren’t going to do anything that might jeopardize their reputations as professionals or the marriages they are committed to with those left behind.
I know; I’ve met many married sailors and soldiers in my time who were professional, honorable people who went to sea to do their jobs to the best of their ability and yearned for nothing but that wonderful homecoming upon their return.
And yes, they were faithful to their partners 100 percent of the time.
It comes down to trust and how strong the commitment is between us and our military mates. Without either, I can’t imagine how any marriage could survive military life, let alone deployment during times of war.
