Ugh. Just when you think you're getting somewhere, the assholes go and let you down. Fuckers.

Many women in the military rely on military treatment facilities for all of their health needs, and don’t always have access to basic care such as testing for pregnancy and STIs. Furthermore, they are only allowed to have abortions if they are the victims of sexual assault and are willing to report the assault.

I totally did NOT know that. Is anyone out there familiar with military policy and able to clarify? Is it only that women who use military-provided health services who can't have abortions, or can they not have abortions anywhere with the military's knowledge?

Current law forbids military hospitals from providing abortion services except in cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment. The military doesn't prevent servicewomen from having abortions IF women can access abortion the services off-base. But for many women this is virtually impossible to do (is there a doctor who performs abortions in the Baghdad Green Zone?). Even if they're in more peaceful territory, servicewomen have to take time off, find the money, find the services, while they continue to defend the country.

Thanks for the clarification, Beccah.

How fucking horrible. Sigh.

And yet Levitra is available! Unbelievable.

To re-quote one of the women quoted in the article, "The situation is unconscionable."

No shit.

Since I'm a female Marine I think I can add some helpful comments to this. As Beccah said, the military doesn't say "no, you can't have an abortion". When it comes to medical care we can do whatever we want with civilian doctors or clinics. The main problem with this is money. TriCare will NOT reemburse us for ANY medical costs that they don't pre-approve of, except emergencies. So you would have to go to the base clinic, tell them what you wanted, and hope they would give you a referral to a clinic that performs abortions. Would they? I have no idea. If so, you'd be fine. If not...um...good luck explaining to you supervisors why you want a couple days off work. And enjoy the fun rumors you'll return too. (Slut! shoulda kept your legs closed...)

Since I'm a female Marine I think I can add some helpful comments to this. As Beccah said, the military doesn't say "no, you can't have an abortion". When it comes to medical care we can do whatever we want with civilian doctors or clinics. The main problem with this is money. TriCare will NOT reemburse us for ANY medical costs that they don't pre-approve of, except emergencies. So you would have to go to the base clinic, tell them what you wanted, and hope they would give you a referral to a clinic that performs abortions. Would they? I have no idea. If so, you'd be fine. If not...um...good luck explaining to you supervisors why you want a couple days off work. And enjoy the fun rumors you'll return too. (Slut! shoulda kept your legs closed...)

Damn you, government computers!

hey...
i know this is unrelated to the post, but i wanted to know if anyone had the link to that site w/ the pink t shirts that say "a womans place is in the house." where the woman is holding up the white house...i thought i saved it and now i cant find it anywhere and i waaaant one. lol
my email is ladyygaladriel@yahoo.com in case anyone knows. thanks!

So unbelievably fucked up. I'm speechless.

Akinoluna, thanks for commenting, and for serving.

The slow comment processing and double-posting is not on the DOD end. I think it's a Typekey issue. I'm on a civilian T-1 in NYC, and it does the same thing to me.