Barbara,

This is an excellent point that I think was touched on very briefly in the
dateline story.  Paying back her "school loans" was discussed (at the cost
of $500,000) but the Assistant Secretary to the Army (I think that was her
title) said the Army was short on Black Hawk helicopter pilots and wouldn't
release her.
I earned my BS in Nursing because of a 4 year Army ROTC scholarship.  They
also gave me a $100 subsistence allowance 10 months out of the year.  In
return I had to serve a minimum of 4 years active duty and 4 years reserve.
 I'm still serving in the reserves, beyond my commitment.  I'm looking at
my original ROTC scholarship contract.  They would release me from this
contract if I paid the government my "loans" with interest and if it was in
the government's best interest (ie if they were not critically short of OB
nurses). Anyway, two lieutenants making $50,000 together annually would be
paying those loans back for a really long time!
Just my two cents and by the way-my opinions are not necessarily those of
the US Army or the Department of Defense.

Maurenne Griese, RNC, BSN, CCE, CBE
Birth and Breastfeeding Resources
Manhattan, KS  USA
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----------
> From: Zucker Family <[log in to unmask]>
> To:
> Subject: Re: Emma's choice
> Date: Wednesday, October 22, 1997 9:48 PM
>
> A co-worker, who spent years in the British Armed Services, had a
wonderful
> choice for this family.
>
>  I agree wholeheartedly that no one really knows how they are going to
feel
> until the baby is in their arms, and when this mom signed on at West
Point,
> she never anticipated this.  However, as a parent of 2 in college, one to
> be in college next year and one coming up the pike, I must say that a
good
> college education is VERY expensive.  When one gradutates from West
Point,
> one does so with no student loans to repay.  The education is in exchange
> for the graduate's time in the military service.  So, this mom realized
she
> just couldn't leave that baby.  All opinions not withstanding, she
> defaulted on her college loan.  In the British Armed Services, if you
want
> out, you can buy your way out.  Makes sense to me.  If she wanted out,
let
> her repay her college "loan" and let her go.  She still has that
education
> in her head and may use it later.
>
> I also think that in the private sector, no such accomodation would have
> been possible.  When have any of us heard of a 2.5 hr lunch-for any
reason?
>  I think the CO tried.
>
> Now, understand, I support the mom's decision to raise her child.  But I
> think the military needs to make a plan to deal with situations that
entail
> these types of problems.  It is truly unfair for taxpayers to educate a
> woman who defaults on her agreement.  But it has to be possible to come
to
> some equitable arrangement if such a problem occurs.
>
> I wish this family the best of luck.  They are corageous and should be
> commended.  But they also need to teach their child that when you make a
> committment, if you can't stick to it you need to make it up in some
other
> way. They have already taught her the power of a mother's love.
>
> Barbara Leshin-Zucker, IBCLC
> Breastfeeding Coordinator, Morrisania WIC
> Bronx, NY
>