Marine Ban on Marriage

In response to “Administration Blocks Ban on Married Marines,” Aug. 12:

Rather than banning married enlistees, it seems a more obvious solution to the problem is providing quality premarital and family counseling, and creating strong support groups, not only for the Marines, but for all branches of the armed forces.

MARTHA ABELL

Loma Linda

The change in policy by the Marine Corps barring married men from enlisting and discouraging marriage during service is actually a very old policy that the Marine Corps adhered to in the past except in wartime. However, after the Korean War, it was not reinstituted because of the urgent need for manpower during the Cold War.

The mission of the Marines today is very similar to that of the pre-Cold War days; however, conditions today are such that I question a return to the old policy discouraging marriages.

Undoubtedly there are some good reasons for this policy, such as it sure keeps the costs down and the cost savings may well justify such a policy. However, as far as morale goes, it is probably a break-even situation. The situation today, however, is far worse than in the past. The cost of housing for enlisted men who cannot get quarters on their bases is prohibitively expensive today in comparison to past generations of Marines and the financial hardships today are more severe than they used to be.

On the other hand, a policy prohibiting or discouraging marriage will certainly deter many very good men from joining. The question is, are there enough very good men willing to join if they can’t be married? JACK ALLEN

Pacific Palisades

One solution that Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Carl E. Mundy Jr. might consider if he doesn’t want married people to enlist in the corps would be to recruit only gays and lesbians. That way he could address two issues haunting the military, that of retaining qualified soldiers beyond their initial enlistment and opening the ranks of the service to homosexuals.

DAVID GREENWALD

Long Beach