 |
A first-time mother patrols an abandoned Iraqi school with her newborn in tote.
|
New Kevlar baby carriers expected to increase women's role in military
Washington, D.C. –
News that the Department of Defense Appropriations Committee Tuesday allocated $16 million for the purchase of twenty thousand bulletproof baby carriers – a newly developed form of armor designed to help protect female soldiers' newborns from enemy fire during combat – has raised speculation that women's role in the U.S. military will flourish now that mothers will feel comfortable bringing their infant children with them onto the battlefield.
"Until now, their susceptibility to pregnancy had somewhat limited women's ability to serve in the U.S. military, as the bearing of children would typically lead to extended maternity leaves," Pentagon spokesman Lawrence Di Rita told reporters Wednesday. "However, employing the use of these new Kevlar baby carriers will allow women to bring their newborns with them as they jump right back into action after giving birth."
Engineered by Dupont, a leading manufacturer of bulletproof material for U.S. military and police forces, the lightweight, ballistic-resistant baby carriers are designed to provide protection to infants while their mothers fight enemy soldiers, storm rebel strongholds, canvass non-secure areas, operate checkpoints and engage in other dangerous military activity.
Dr. Patricia Gomez, a psychologist for the U.S. Army, said that it is crucial to the development of all newborns that they remain close to their mothers during their first year of development – a situation that had previously handcuffed women who wished to simultaneously raise a family as well as advance their military careers.
"For female soldiers, having a baby used to mean hanging up your grenades for at least a year, since there was no practical way to bring your baby with you out into harm's way without it being a serious inconvenience," said Gomez. "You'd set your kid down for two seconds to jump on the twenty millimeter [machine gun] and try to hold the line, and before you knew it the little bugger has crawled out of the foxhole and wandered into the middle of a minefield. It was just too dangerous for the child."
"The only other option is leaving the child with someone while you're out fighting," Gomez continued. "And let me tell you, it's awfully hard to find good daycare in a foreign country that your squad is occupying."
Da Rita said that in addition to making Kevlar baby carriers available for all expecting woman soldiers, the Pentagon has also contracted the development of armored baby strollers and a variety of car seats designed to fit all U.S. military armored vehicles.
March 2006
|
Archives
© 2011 Blue V Productions, LLC, All rights reserved.
