Sex after Service by Drew A. Helmer

Author:Drew A. Helmer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: undefined
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published: 2012-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

Premilitary Sexual Health

When the draft was in force, a reality for Vietnam veterans and those of prior conflicts, young men were selected to join the military at age 18. With the all-volunteer force of the U.S. military since the 1970s, people today make a choice to join the military. Most still join at a young age, however, often prior to 20 years old. While most Americans have probably engaged in some sexual activity by this age, the amount of experience with relationships and life in general may be quite limited. For many of the young, new military personnel, they have known only their parents’ home, school, and perhaps part-time work. Joining the military is a major life event at any age, and with limited experience to serve as a frame of reference, most new military personnel struggle to make sense of it all.

Eric was a deferred entry army recruit who enlisted at age 17 while still in high school and shipped off to boot camp in August after graduation. He still didn’t have enough facial hair to shave regularly and had never had a steady girlfriend. His father and uncles were in the military, so he was enthusiastic about enlisting, but the day of his departure, his travel orders were messed up, and he ended up on a flight by himself. Sitting next to a dad and his twin five-year-old boys, Eric became teary eyed when relating that this was his first flight and his second overnight trip from home and that he really had no idea what was in store for him.

For many, joining the military represents the largest, if not the first, life change of their lives to that point. The young recruit must negotiate the new situation, meeting new people and learning the rules and expectations of the military. These challenges are present with regard to sexual health and function as well, and given the relative inexperience of most young adults on their entry to the military, the focus should be on exploring options and learning and making decisions that promote sexual and overall health, not just generate pleasure for the short term. Preparing for military service, including exposure to information about the rules of engaging in relationships and sexual activity, would be very helpful to most recruits.

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