Military Moms breast-feeding photos row

June 02, 2012 10:42
Military Moms breast-feeding photos row

To support the cause for breast feeding, some pictures of nursing military mother's breast feeding their infants raised controversies.  The photos were shot to increase the awareness of breast feeding ahead of the National Breastfeeding Awareness Month in August. However the military loyalists thought otherwise. They felt that the photos were violating the rules, as uniform must not be used for promotion.

The pictures were the handiwork of a group, Mom2Mom, started by Crystal Scott. Scott is a military spouse, who wanted to prove the convenience of feeding even with uniform on. The pictures were of two nursing military mothers Terran Echegoyen-McCabe and Christina Luna breastfeeding wearing Washington Air National Guard uniform. Scott had asked photographer Brynja Sigurdardottir to take photos of real-life breast-feeding moms to create posters for the campaign.

"A lot of people are saying it's a disgrace to the uniform. They're comparing it to urinating and defecating [while in uniform]," says Scott, "It's extremely upsetting. Defecating in public is illegal. Breast-feeding is not."

"I have breast-fed in our lobby, in my car, in the park ... and I pump, usually in the locker room," Terran Echegoyen says. "I'm proud to be wearing a uniform while breast-feeding. I'm proud of the photo and I hope it encourages other women to know they can breast-feed whether they're active duty, guard or civilian."

The photos were uploaded on the internet by Fairchild Air Force Base. Fairchild is home to the National Guard's 141st Air Refueling Wing and the U.S. Air Force's 92nd Air Refueling Wing.

Washington Air National Guard spokesman Capt. Keith Kosik said it's a violation of regulations to use the uniform to promote a civilian cause. He said the two nursing mothers likely will not be disciplined for the photos but that the incident would be used as an opportunity for education.

The military has no rules specifically regarding public breast-feeding while in uniform. The real issue is that service members are not allowed to use the uniform to further a civilian cause, Kosik said.  (With Inputs from Internet- Aarkay)

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