Can someone explain why soldiers are banned from watching porn down range?

REALLY? Some one is asking this question? Never mind that military units nowadays have men and women in them. Never mind that someone could and WOULD find that offensive. Regardless if it's downrange or not.

Watching porn or not is not to relave anything nor is magazine's. The releafe comes from the ackshen.
Now men and women are all capable are capable of sexual assault and rape but it doesn't mean that we are going to do it. And having porn or not is not is going to make a rapest or anything else out of anyone. That has to do with the individual themselves and a hole lot more. Now in some places they may not be able to so they need to respect that and find alternative ways they managed as teen's with out porn I'm sure they can manage a few months. And not every down range experience is the same only sted fast rule no sex and there is good reason for that as well. You can't juge something you don't understand. Education is a top priority of the military on this topic and I if you have questions or need ancers then do the research.

Why have a rule that 99% of people are definitely breaking anyway?

We have legal agreements with host countries most of the hostile places we operate outlaw beer and porn. So that goes for us too

Well, if Private Joe Snuffy is in a porta john jackin his meat while rounds are coming in or your COP is under attack how is his leadership going to be able to effectively asses injuries and keep accountability of his troops. The answer, he can't. Also, how effective are you gonna be in combat if you're suddenly attacked and you don't have proper situational awareness of what's going on? You won't be. Other factors include the temporary fatigue and relaxation that induce a state of complacency in a time where you need to be the least complacent that you ever have been to fight effectively.

Either down range or up range, if you do look at the correct FM, it is a training or mission distractor , not counting it will not let troops keep the correct state of mind

some people ain't mature enough to not act on the urges that they see in porn .

I see this issue as just another PC knee jerk reaction by the brass, to fix a problem that they do not want to deal with. As we all know, whether down range, or back at the base, sexual activity, the use of porn, alcohol use etc. all is going on. These are actually not the problem, Rape, MST, and drug/alcohol abuse is the problem. SHARP should be focused directly and solely on identifying misconduct, and rapidly providing a dishonorable discharge to those involved. Any SOFA agreements should only effect the service members actions while off post. Inside the gates is our territory. Anyone who visits the compounds of our allies can see these are available. Also, many times it is just the whims of the local command authority. During Desert Storm even, the commanding general did not like cigarette smoke, so cigarettes were banned. In this case, give the guys a ration chit for a couple glasses of beer from a keg, it will help moral, and relieve some tension while on base. Play a porn flick in a tent at the compound. And if someone is raped, kick that sorry ass out of the military, we don't want him.

It can lead some soldiers to sexual assault but mostly it can reflect a bad image of you to any unexpected visitors who migjt pop in with your platoon or company commander. Everyone has to project a proper military and professional image. It sounds like I'm preaching be a goody two shoes, but I'm a retired USAF enlisted E5. Been down range several times. But I had a chance to be hog wild many times before deployments and after. It was very hard (no pun) but I got through them, so can you. Males and females.