Colorado Springs Gazette
February 28, 2000
Army: Romance Out, Marriage In
By John Diedrich, The Gazette
Staff Sgt. Robert Shingleton and Maj. Bernadette Thompson were
following Army orders when they married New Year's Eve.
The couple rushed to the altar so their relationship would be
legal
under new Army rules that take effect Wednesday.
The Army has ordered an end to romance between officers and
enlisted
soldiers. Those already in relationships were faced with an
ultimatum:
Get married, split up or leave the Army by March 1.
For decades, the Army let enlisted troops date or marry officers
as
long as the couple weren't in the same chain of command and the
relationship
didn't create a conflict, such as the appearance of favorable
treatment.
The Army policy differed from the Marine Corps, Air Force and
Navy,
which haven't allowed officers and enlisted personnel to date or
marry one another regardless of assignments. In 1998, Secretary
of
Defense William Cohen ordered the Army to fall into line, saying
the
branches are serving together more often and rules should be the
same.
The new policy also forbids loans, long-term business deals,
gambling
and socializing that creates an "unprofessional relationship"
between
officers and enlisted soldiers. Those rules went into effect in
March
1999. Violations could bring anything from counseling to
court-martial.
Soldiers had a year to comply with the no-romance rule.
Wednesday is the deadline.
"It was do or die for us," said Robert Shingleton, a platoon
sergeant
at Fort Carson.
Robert and Bernadette, an Army nurse, met at Fort Gordon, Ga.,
in
1998, as he was going through a divorce. From the beginning,
both
knew the new policy was coming.
But romance bloomed.
Soon Bernadette headed to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, and
Robert
came to Fort Carson. They were to marry after Robert returns
from
Bosnia in October, but the deadline changed their plans. So on
Dec.
31, the couple stood before a Texas justice of the peace,
without
family or
friends on hand. There was no honeymoon. In fact, two days after
the
wedding, Robert had to return to Colorado.
Robert understands why officers and enlisted soldiers in the
same
chain of command shouldn't date. But he doesn't agree with the
new
policy.
"We are not born into a uniform, we are born male and female and
you
have feelings no matter what (rank) you are wearing," he said.
Bernadette, 42, who has served 15 years, was close to resigning
her
commission, said Robert, 39, who also has served 15 years.
Instead
they
chose a quick marriage.
Robert said the couple would still be dating if not for the new
policy. As it is, they plan another wedding in the fall, so
their
loved ones can
celebrate with them.
It's hard to say how many couples rushed to the altar in the
past
year. The Army didn't supply marriage statistics. In 1999, five
exceptions were
granted to couples who are stationed at different posts and
couldn't marry.
The new policy has generated fewer comments than the Army
expected,
said Maj. Duncan Baugh, a chaplain at the Pentagon and the
Army's
fraternization point man. He said he has fielded about 20
comments in
the past year.
When the policy was first announced, soldiers were concerned
with
more than just the anti-romance provisions. Some worried the
rules,
especially limiting socialization, would build a wall between
officers and enlisted people, Baugh said.
"Because as soldiers we all get our boots muddy, perhaps more
than
the other services, we have close camaraderie," he said. "The
fear
was (the
policy) would create a caste system. That has not happened."
The Army has been careful to protect occasions that bring
officers
and enlisted people together, such as softball leagues, holiday
parties and
picnics.
But soldiers need to be careful when a social situation could
create
an improper relationship, Baugh said.
"We try to make this a common-sense kind of approach," he said.
--------------------
Colorado Springs Gazette
February 28, 2000
<bold><bigger>Army: Romance Out, Marriage In
</bigger></bold>By John Diedrich, The Gazette
Staff Sgt. Robert Shingleton and Maj. Bernadette Thompson were
following Army orders when they married New Year's Eve.
The couple rushed to the altar so their relationship would be
legal
under new Army rules that take effect Wednesday.
The Army has ordered an end to romance between officers and
enlisted
soldiers. Those already in relationships were faced with an
ultimatum:
Get married, split up or leave the Army by March 1.
For decades, the Army let enlisted troops date or marry officers
as
long as the couple weren't in the same chain of command and the
relationship
didn't create a conflict, such as the appearance of favorable
treatment.
The Army policy differed from the Marine Corps, Air Force and
Navy,
which haven't allowed officers and enlisted personnel to date or
marry
one another regardless of assignments. In 1998, Secretary of
Defense
William Cohen ordered the Army to fall into line, saying the
branches
are serving together more often and rules should be the same.
The new policy also forbids loans, long-term business deals,
gambling
and socializing that creates an "unprofessional relationship"
between
officers and enlisted soldiers. Those rules went into effect in
March
1999. Violations could bring anything from counseling to
court-martial.
Soldiers had a year to comply with the no-romance rule.
Wednesday is the deadline.
"It was do or die for us," said Robert Shingleton, a platoon
sergeant
at Fort Carson.
Robert and Bernadette, an Army nurse, met at Fort Gordon, Ga.,
in 1998,
as he was going through a divorce. From the beginning, both knew
the
new policy was coming.
But romance bloomed.
Soon Bernadette headed to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, and
Robert
came to Fort Carson. They were to marry after Robert returns
from
Bosnia in October, but the deadline changed their plans. So on
Dec. 31,
the couple stood before a Texas justice of the peace, without
family
or
friends on hand. There was no honeymoon. In fact, two days after
the
wedding, Robert had to return to Colorado.
Robert understands why officers and enlisted soldiers in the
same chain
of command shouldn't date. But he doesn't agree with the new
policy.
"We are not born into a uniform, we are born male and female and
you
have feelings no matter what (rank) you are wearing," he said.
Bernadette, 42, who has served 15 years, was close to resigning
her
commission, said Robert, 39, who also has served 15 years.
Instead
they
chose a quick marriage.
Robert said the couple would still be dating if not for the new
policy.
As it is, they plan another wedding in the fall, so their loved
ones
can
celebrate with them.
It's hard to say how many couples rushed to the altar in the
past year.
The Army didn't supply marriage statistics. In 1999, five
exceptions
were
granted to couples who are stationed at different posts and
couldn't
marry.
The new policy has generated fewer comments than the Army
expected,
said Maj. Duncan Baugh, a chaplain at the Pentagon and the
Army's
fraternization point man. He said he has fielded about 20
comments in
the past year.
When the policy was first announced, soldiers were concerned
with more
than just the anti-romance provisions. Some worried the rules,
especially limiting socialization, would build a wall between
officers
and enlisted people, Baugh said.
"Because as soldiers we all get our boots muddy, perhaps more
than the
other services, we have close camaraderie," he said. "The fear
was
(the
policy) would create a caste system. That has not happened."
The Army has been careful to protect occasions that bring
officers and
enlisted people together, such as softball leagues, holiday
parties
and
picnics.
But soldiers need to be careful when a social situation could
create an
improper relationship, Baugh said.
"We try to make this a common-sense kind of approach," he said.
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