Frank's law would severely limit commanders from halting sex parties in the barracks. As long as soldiers are consenting, anything goes. The proposal would legalize most sexual behaviors including adultery. But adultery can have serious negative effects on morale, discipline and unit cohesion. Current law seeks to vaccinate fragile military families against broken commitments, domestic violence, and long-term problems for children.
Most military people are married, a fact that has been proven to be key to readiness.
That's why 858 soldiers have recently been court-martialed for adultery. The law's crystal clarity keeps wandering eyes focused on the mission. Mr. Frank's bill turns military law on its head. It denies commanders the discretion to fit the punishment to the crime, but in many instances consensual sexual relationships have been shown to seriously damage readiness. What we get in our military is what we ask for.