The American Spectator

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The Nation's Pulse

(Page 2 of 2)

A RECENT LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL to bring back the military draft, for women as well as men, generated very little comment. While there may be a lot of reasons why America may never see a draft again, it is noteworthy that a congressman would include women in his proposal without a second thought.

The Air Force also has issues pertaining to decorum between the sexes. A few years back an officer working in missile silos underground, overnight, sharing close, confined accommodations with female officers, sought a "religious accommodation" because he viewed it as an inappropriate situation for a married man. Initially, he was able to obtain alternative scheduling until feminists suspected sexism, resulting in an extended controversy.

Daniel P. Moloney described this case in "Sex and the Married Missiler," in First Things (February 2000). Space does not allow for a full description of the Kafkaesque experience of this officer, but Moloney's opening sentence captures his dilemma quite nicely:

"At Minot Air Force base in Minot, North Dakota, a wife kisses her husband goodbye knowing that he will be spending the night alone in close quarters with a fit, talented professional woman officer."

These days it can be difficult to be both an officer and a gentleman.

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