Sgt. Matthew Christopher, 22, of Wilmington, N.C., and wife, Sgt. Amanda Christopher, 25, of Mahomet, Ill., left, stand outside their living quarters inside the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Feb. 21, 2008. The newlyweds said the change in cohabitation rules have been a blessing on their 11-month-old marriage, four months of which has been spent in Iraq. The Army is allowing scores of husband-and-wife soldiers to live and sleep together in the war zone -- a move aimed at preserving marriages, boosting morale and perhaps bolstering re-enlistment rates at a time when the military is struggling to fill its ranks five years into the fighting. Because of the prohibition on public displays of affection, the Christophers declined even to put their arms around each other for a photo. [Agencies]
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