Make Love But Not at War

German military officials have agreed to scrap a regulation preventing soldiers from having sex on military bases, allowing their troops to make love while preparing for war. The decision comes after a review of existing guidelines which have now been deemed no longer compatible with societal norms.

Considering the 50 year, officially abstinent history of the Bundeswehr, this can be seen as something of a sexual revolution. With about 271,000 troops in the German army, about 9,300 of whom are women, the defense ministry has long had to deal with problems that arose from the strain put on couples, especially while on duty abroad, as soldiers are not allowed to leave military bases.

Now, the powers-that-be hope that changing the rules will bring an end to 'incidents' involving lustful squaddies and help soldiers keep their minds on the defense of the nation.

Have sex but abide by the rules

There are, however, conditions. Under the revised regulations, both heterosexual and homosexual relations are permitted as long as they take place between two consenting adults; sexual relations can only take place between soldiers within the same camp, meaning conscripts cannot simply take a lover onto the camp for the night, and sex while on duty will remain a taboo, while in the soldiers' spare time, officials say "anything goes."

While the new regulations state that senior officers will have to make sure that couples are given adequate space and privacy, many soldiers hold the point of view that they would choose a more romantic place than their boot-camp lodging for a tryst.