Adultery In The Military :: Free Essay Writer

Adultery Debated Issue In MilitaryIn 1995 Lieutenant Kelly Flinn became the United States first female B-52 Bomber pilot. One social class later Lt. Flinn began a relationship with a objet dart who was legally separated from his wife with a divorce pending. Eventually Lt. Flinn fell in love with the man and the Air Force charged her with adultery. The charges against Lt. Flinn left her facing dismissal from the military and the possibility of serving up to nine-and-a-half years in prison. In military trials a panel of six military officials decide ones fate.After the Air Force went public and told reporters about the decision to court-martial her, Lt. Flinns family contended that the guinea pig could have been handled differently because other officers in similar situations had received counseling and fines. However, Lt. Flinns family also decided to go public. Finally, Lt. Flinn told her story and it was apparent that publicity efforts were help her. When Senator Slade Gorton(R -Washington) questioned the Air Forces handling of the case other congressional members joined in to defend Lt. Flinn.The case was taken up with the Defense secretaire William Cohen. After a negative public reaction, Air Force Secretary Sheila Widnall considered granting Lt. Flinn an honorable discharge if she resigned. Because the likelihood of receiving a prison sentence was clear to her, Lt. Flinn resigned. In the end Secretary Widnall announced that she was only granting Lt. Flinn a general discharge.There have been many responses and public opinions over the issues of military standards. Some say that the gird forces must uphold rigid standards while others are commenting that moral standards for members of the armed forces should not be higher than those for civilians. It is unfair to require the armed forces to be a repository of moral values for the nation. Manuel Davenport contends that the military must be better because it deals with matters of life and death.