Gays in the Military: Views From Those Who Are or Have Been “On the Ground”

I have posted a couple of columns on the subject of gays serving in the military and, in particular, about the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that has been in effect for 15 years and is now being reviewed by Congress–a policy that is also being vigorously discussed in the media and in the blogs.

I have made my personal views on this issue quite clear. In one of my posts, I wrote:

But even President Truman’s 1948 Executive order, commendable and progressive as it was, left “without regard to sexual orientation,” out of his promise that ”there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services.”
It is this omission that our legislators are now addressing in the hearings on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” And, predictably, the same tired and repudiated issues and arguments that were used 60 years ago are now being raised again to prevent gays and lesbians from enjoying “equality of treatment and opportunity …in the armed services.”

The future of the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy will not be decided based on my personal views. Rather, it may be decided on what a majority of the American people feel is the right thing to do. I say, “may” because even though several reputable recent polls have found that a vast majority of Americans feel that homosexuals should be allowed to serve in the military, there will be other powerful factors and factions at play.

One of these will be the judgment and recommendations of present and recent military leadership in our country. While many high ranking and prestigious military officers, both active duty and retired, have expressed their views on this issue, it is not clear yet which way the pendulum will eventually swing.

Another factor may, or should, be the judgment and thoughts of the men and women who will have to literally live with the outcome of this debate: The men and women presently serving in our military. A Zogby poll conducted in 2006 surveyed 545 military personnel who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan and found that only 37% of the respondents opposed openly gay military service. The views of those who have served in the past will also be, albeit to a lesser extent, a factor in the debate.

In fact, the Military Officers Association of America, MOAA, the nation’s largest and most influential association of military officers with about 370,000 members–active duty and retired–is planning to survey its members on this issue shortly. MOAA is a powerful lobbying organization on matters and legislation affecting the career force and veterans. The opinions of MOAA and its membership will undoubtedly be influential on the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy discussions and decisions. We will keep you posted.

Since the initial Congressional hearings were held a couple of weeks ago, those who are or have been “on the ground” are already expressing their opinion. And what better place to get a sense of those sentiments than in the Letters to the Editor section of the for-the-military newspaper the Stars and Stripes.

The following are excerpts from the letters on this issue that appeared in the Stars and Stripes chronologically during the period July 30 through August 8. The names have been deleted (with one exception), and, for brevity’s sake, only the sections that best summarize the writers’ opinions and intent have been quoted:

July 30— ‘Don’t ask’ a slap to patriots

I praise Stars and Stripes for its article on the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy hearings…In my view, this policy has hurt our military readiness, hurt the morale of the estimated 65,000 lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender troops serving around the world, including in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters of war. It does a disservice to them, as it says to them you can join, you can risk your lives, and you can die, and many have…
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I feel in long-overdue time these people will have their justice. The military will have a black mark the likes of which it may take 60 years to recover from, as the recent anniversary of desegregation in the ranks shows. These gay and lesbian heroes serve a nation that gives them neither the comfort of freedom, nor the time of day, and I, for one, thank them for their service in defense of the freedom of others that they cannot enjoy themselves. And they do so in total silence.
Spc….Camp Adder, Iraq

August 1— Gays deserve military equality
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In revisiting “don’t ask, don’t tell,” our country is addressing “equality of treatment and opportunity” for gays in the military. Many of today’s arguments to keep gays and lesbians from openly serving in our armed forces are the same or similar to those advanced more than 60 years ago to keep our military segregated.
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Thousands of homosexuals are serving honorably in all our military branches, being injured and most probably dying for us in battle.
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Let us hope U.S. leaders will remember [Secretary of Defense Gates’ words, "We must make sure the American military continues to be a great engine of progress and equality."]when debating the rights of gay and lesbian service members.
Maj. Dorian de Wind (USAF, Ret.)

Aug 3—Why accommodate gays?
I am writing this letter to say that I think it is so absurd that people are bending over backward to try and accommodate people that are homosexuals that are in or want to join the military.
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So if the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy can be revisited because of the attempt to draw competent servicemembers to remain in or join the military, let the policies that deny entry to people who want to serve but may have a visible tattoo or a spouse who is enlisted already [also be revisited].

Andersen Air Force Base, Guam

August 6— Against gays in military

After reading the latest pro-gay views…I would like to go on record as firmly opposing gay service in the U.S. military.
Men and women are thrown into close confines aboard ships and aircraft where even heterosexual contact and ensuing sex can lead to loss of unit cohesion. A homosexual undercurrent blatantly allowed to co-exist with good military order and discipline will not work.
What if a gay soldier, sailor, Marine, airman or Coast Guard individual decides to flaunt his or her tell-it-to-the-world, everybody-out-of-the-closet lifestyle? Chaos. No barriers — right. Orgies on demand. Dream your own dream of wild sex on demand and homosexuals and the threat of homosexuals preying on friends and foes and casual acquaintances at sea.
And the backlash? Straight folks, in and around the military taking matters into their own hands to rid the environment of this deviant behavior. It would happen.
Homosexuals in the military. Sure, maybe in 50 or 150 years.

Lt. Cmdr. (retired) Rota, Spain

August 8— Don’t wait ‘to do what’s right’

After reading “Against gays in military” I got a sick feeling in my stomach. The letter writer suggests that if homosexual sailors were allowed to be open with their sexual orientation, it would result in “homosexuals preying on friends, foes and casual acquaintances at sea.”… There is no reason to believe that a gay person is any more likely to “prey” on another than a straight person, and to suggest otherwise is slanderous.
He also states that if gay servicemembers were allowed to serve openly that there would be “orgies on demand” and “wild sex on demand.” In my view, the discipline of a unit is a direct reflection of its leadership. As a company commander, I am responsible for everything my company does or fails to do. Perhaps the writer didn’t see leadership in the same way.
There are undoubtedly numerous gay soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen serving our country honorably.
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I think most leaders could handle someone coming out of the closet.
Why do we ask these young men and women to violate their integrity by hiding who they really are as they serve their country in the same honorable manner as every other servicemember? Why should we wait “50 or 150 years” to do what’s right?
Capt. … Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan

Aug 8—Keep policy on gays as is
The author of “Against gays in military” (letter, Aug. 6) is right, but only in one respect: Gays shouldn’t be allowed to serve “openly” in the military.
The picture the writer paints of all gays as immoral is likely inaccurate and surely comes from a place of prejudice and dated thinking. “Orgies on demand”? Give me a break.
Unfortunately, he is not the only one. Many members of our fine military have personal views that strongly conflict with that of alternative lifestyles. I can say with certainty that letting many of our outstanding soldiers out of the closet will create a strained environment and a hostile working place, to say the least.
It’s unfortunate, but in an organization that has many of its values rooted in Christianity, it may be a long time before many of those dated thinkers come around. It’s not that I feel they don’t deserve to serve openly, but for the safety of these individuals, to protect them from people who fight “deviant behavior” like superheroes, just keep it like it is.
Spc. …Camp Victory, Iraq

Well, there you have it. Not a comprehensive nor a scientific survey by any stretch; just six letters from those who are serving and who have served, covering virtually the entire spectrum of possible attitudes on a very important and controversial issue.