Policing Sex and Marriage in the American Military: The Court-Martial and the Construction of Gender and Sexual Deviance, 1950–2000

340 Pages·2018·3.468 MB·English

by  Kellie Wilson Buford

POLICING SEX AND
MARRIAGE IN THE
AMERICAN MILITARY
Studies in War, Society, and the Military
General Editors Editorial Board
Kara Dixon Vuic Peter Maslowski
Texas Christian University University of Nebraska– Lincoln
Richard S. Fogarty David Graff
University at Albany, Kansas State University
State University of New York
Reina Pennington
Norwich University
POLICING
SEX AND
MARRIAGE
IN THE
AMERICAN
MILITARY
The Court- Martial and the
Construction of Gender and
Sexual Deviance, 1950– 2000
Kellie Wilson- Buford
University of Nebraska Press
Lincoln and London
© 2018 by the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska
This book is derived in part from “From Exclusion to Accep-
tance: A Case History of Homosexuality in the U.S. Court of
Military Appeals,” in “Evolution of Government Policy Toward
Homosexuality in the U.S. Military,” special issue, Journal of
Homosexuality 60, nos. 2– 3 (February– March 2013): 250–7 2,
doi:10.1080/00918369.2013.744671, http:// www .tandfonline .com/,
copyright by Taylor & Francis; reprinted as Evolution of Govern-
ment Policy Towards Homosexuality in the US Military: The
Rise and Fall of dadt, ed. James E. Parco and David A. Levy
(New York: Routledge, 2014).
All rights reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Buford, Kellie Wilson, author.
Title: Policing sex and marriage in the American military:
the court- martial and the construction of gender and sexual
deviance, 1950– 2000 / Kellie Wilson- Buford.
Description: Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, [2018] |
Series: Studies in war, society, and the military | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: lccn 2017050526
isbn 9780803296855 (cloth: alk. paper)
isbn 9781496208705 (epub)
isbn 9781496208712 (mobi)
isbn 9781496208729 (pdf)
Subjects: lcsh: Military law— Social aspects— United States.
| Families of military personnel— Legal status, laws, etc.
— United States. | Military offenses— Law and legislation
— United States. | Sex crimes— United States. | Soldiers—
Family relationships— United States. | Soldiers— Sexual
behavior— United States.
Classification: lcc kf7270 .b84 2018 | ddc 343.73/014— dc23
lc record available at https:// lccn .loc .gov /2017050526
Set in Minion Pro by E. Cuddy.
For
Diego and Baylie

Contents
List of Tables viii
Acknowledgments ix
Author’s Note xiii
Abbreviations xvii
Introduction 1
1 Engendering Military
Marriages 17
2 Policing International
Military Marriages 47
3 Enforcing Monogamy 79
4 Normalizing
Heterosexism and
“ Natural” Sex 119
5 Protecting the
Public Morals 159
6 Policing Sex and
Marriage, 1976– 2000 201
Conclusion 235
Afterword 239
Notes 243
Bibliography 283
Index 303
Tables
1. U.S. Forces Korea
marriage approval
processing
statistics, 1976– 80 206
viii
Acknowledgments
This book would never have been possible without the support
of Professor Margaret D. Jacobs, whose research, work ethic, and
super woman– like ability to balance motherhood and academia
continue to inspire me. She shared the vision I had for this project
from the beginning, and her belief in me never waivered, even
when I doubted myself. Nor would this book have been possible
without the expertise and critical insights of Professor Emeritus
Pete Maslowski, who graciously welcomed me into the world of
military history in a memorable graduate research seminar at
the University of Nebraska– Lincoln. Always eager to critique
drafts and push me to become a better writer, his wisdom and
encouragement are on every single page of this book. Professors
Tim Borstelmann, Jeannette Eileen Jones, and Professor Emerita
Helen Moore offered invaluable feedback on the original man-
uscript, while Professor Maureen Honey offered friendship and
inspiration. I am indebted to Adam Hodge, Nate Probasco, and
Lisa Maurer for the support and encouragement along the way
that only fellow graduate students can provide, as well as to Pro-
fessors Will Thomas and Professor Emeritus John Wunder for
encouraging me to keep writing and publishing my work. I am
eternally grateful for the University of Nebraska– Lincoln’s gener-
ous financial support through the Othmer and Fling Fellowships
that made the majority of the research for this book possible.
My teachers at the University of North Carolina– Greensboro,
especially Professors Pete Carmichael and Lisa Levenstein and
Professor Emeritus Karl Schleunes, helped sharpen my research
ix