Single Mums Not Allowed As Soldiers

A female soldier in Britain has won a legal battle for claims of sex and race discrimination that forced her to quit her job.

She was a single mother who was unable to find childcare on a few occasions, something seen as unacceptable in the military life.

The problem with her situation was that, as she was from St Vincents, she had no family close by and was unable to get the proper visas to bring a family member over to help care for her child.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “The Armed Forces aim to achieve a working environment free from harassment, intimidation and discrimination. Serving personnel who are parents are responsible for ensuring they have childcare arrangements in place so that they can fulfil all of their Army duties.”

As all parents know, a whole host of problems can happen when people have children that can interfere with work; babysitters can cancel at the last minute, children can get sick when babysitters aren’t available, and there can be any number of emergency trips to hospitals.

If the military is so rigid in their rules, surely their options would be to either not hire single parents, fire those who get divorced, or provide some kind of daycare facilities for their employees?

It is absurd to think that in this day and age the military does not allow for the flexibility of modern families and parents to be on their payroll.

This would not only make it possible for more people to join who previously might have been apprehensive, but it would allow for a happier, and so more productive, workforce.

On the other hand she knew what she was signing up for when she got the job. Nevertheless, I’m glad they got caught out on this one and I hope they make some changes as I’m sure this is something that could easily happen to them again.