Military jobs for women are all very well but they do tend to conflict with the demands of motherhood. A North Carolina woman, Lisa Pagan, has been recalled to active service in the Army after four years and says she will have to take her children, aged 4 and 3, with her because her husband travels for business and no-one else can take care of them.

Ms Pagan is among thousands of service members who have left active duty since the September 11, 2001, attacks, but with time left to serve on their original contracts. After unsuccessfully filing appeals, she hit on the idea of showing up at Fort Benning, Georgia, with Elizabeth and Eric in tow, and letting the authorities decide what to do about it.

An Army spokesman said that officials “don’t want to do anything that jeopardises the family or … the children” but that “these are individuals who made obligations and commitments to the country”. ~ Washington Post, March 1