WASHINGTON -- Army soldiers who are involved in personal relationships with other soldiers can rest easy: They have a year to sort them out.
An Army policy barring dating between soldiers of different rank was announced to the troops this week. But those who are dating have a year's grace period to decide whether to marry, break up or leave the Army by March 1, 2000.
The Army was the only service that allowed dating between soldiers of different ranks, as long as they were not in the same chain of command. That more lax policy dated from the late 1970s, when women entered the military in greater numbers.
But Defense Secretary William S. Cohen called for a uniform fraternization policy, spurred by an increasing number of missions involving all the services as well as sex scandals and adultery cases that embarrassed the military.
Personal relationships within a military organization, said Cohen and other officials, have a detrimental effect on good order and discipline.
There are hundreds of marriages between soldiers of different ranks, said officials, who speculate that many more are dating. Also prohibited as of March 1, 2000, will be business dealings and other close relationships between soldiers of different ranks.
When the Army came up with its revised fraternization policy, Pentagon officials balked at the one-year grace period, saying the new rules could be put into effect as early as 60 days. But the Pentagon relented this week.
As a result, soldiers of a different ranks who are dating, sharing living accommodations or involved in intimate or sexual relationships have until March 1, 2000 -- as long as their relationship predates the implementation of the policy this week.
Some soldiers say the Army will not be able to bar personal relationships and many will simply go underground.
There was also concern that the new policy would end such Army mainstays as "right-arm" nights, when an officer would invite a sergeant to the officers' club for drinks.
But officials said that "right-arm" nights would still be allowed, as well as unit-based social functions and sporting events.
Fraternization is punishable by up to two years in prison.
Enlisted personnel face a dishonorable discharge, and officers face the equivalent punishment of dismissal.
Pub Date: 3/05/99