Letter: Soldiers and sex

Sir: Colonel Neil Donaldson's remarks (report, 17 December) about two women in Catterick, who may or may not have HIV, are very revealing about the Army's sexism.

It's fine for soldiers to be promiscuous but, at the first hint of danger, Colonel Donaldson accuses the women who have sex with these soldiers of being "liberal with their affections ... and ... not averse to indulging in casual sex, often unprotected" while his "young soldiers ... are somehow vulnerable". Isn't it time that the Army started recruiting real men who are responsible for their own actions?

PETER J RIMMER

London EC2