The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1962-12-07
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Military Faces ''Petticoat Problem

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LONDON = Along with all the
strategic and tactical problems
which face American military
leaders, there is the 'petticoat
problem" or what to do about
the dependents Of American
servicemen.
This is no idle issue, for it in
wolves psychological and moral
factors which affect the military
status of both Americans and
and their allies-especially those
in Germany.
Nor is the question a simple
one.
At first blush, the average
American civilian would be in
clined to say: If we mean bust
ness in Europe, let's get the de-
pendentS out of the way. This
line of reasoning has two major
assumptions: First, that the
families should be brought home
for their own safety, and Sec
ond, that American servicemen
would fight more effectively
knowing that their loved ones
are safely back home in the
United States.
There's an opposing viewpoint,
but before we argue that point,
let us consider what may be in
the minds of Americas allies in
Germany and throughout the
continent.
Always there are those Euro
peans their number varies
with conditions Of the moment
who fear that the Americans
may let them down in time of
great need. To these people, it is
a matter of great significance
that the United States proves its
commitment to the defense of
free Europe by keeping service
men AND their families in this
possible theater Of operations.
Many a senior American COM
mander shudders when he thinks
of the possible adverse effect a
withdrawal of families would
have on the European allies of
the United States.
Then, too there obviously are
a great many American families
on the continent who feel they
are in no more danger than they
would be back in the United
States. One Army wife put it
this way:
lover here, I'm not living on
a target. If I were back in New
York City, I would be-"
But there are other aspects of
the problem, bearing directly on
the effectiveness of the Ameri-
can fighting man. For one thing,
the usual tour Of duty of U. S.
soldiers in Germany is three
years. Gen. Bruce c. Clarke.
who commands U. S. Army
troops in Europe, frankly adj
mits: I'VE cannot separate
married people for that period Of
time in time of peace
And with equal candor grow
ing out of a lifetime Of soldier
ing, he adds that the stationing
of considerable mum b ers of
troops over an extended period
without their families would lead
to local incidents which would
wear out the Americans vel
come in their host country.
The profile m rests more
heavily on Gen Clarke than any
other single commander, since
he has something like 10000 de-
pendents of American service
men under his wing. Further
more, he faces. the staggering
realization that about 1000 more
dependents are being generated
within his command each month
through l,5O0 births and 500
marriages on the average.
Here in England, the magni-
tude Of the problem is reflected
by the Seventh Air Division of
the Strategic Air Force. The
military strength of that COM
mand is less than 5,4OO officers
and men, but altogether they
have more than $500 dependents
with them.
The presence Of all these fami-
lies here and on the continent