"Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

[Peregrine]

*edited

[Dung1sm]

Originally Posted by jmiller_1974

I knowingly served alongside closeted gay Soldiers in Kuwait, and did not take sexual preference into account during a firefight. That said, I don't have a problem with it, but know of many people who would.

I also think that this retroactive re-enlistment is a kinda bad idea, and this is why: The 13,000 some-odd folks who were discharged were most likely released because They couldn't keep from airing Their dirty laundry out in Public, so to speak. A certain amount of presence of being and presence of environment is essential in an effective Soldier, and allowing Your personal life to become so apparent to Your professional life that it causes severe conflict is just not acceptable. It doesn't work in the Civilian World, so it certainly can't in the Military(who follow a higher personal standard), right? It would be equated to lighting a joint in Your XOs office. Until the Brass say it's okay, simply put, it is not okay, and if You can't figure that out, I don't want You behind the trigger of a gun.

well said... simply put... im not very fond of this repeal crap...(no offense, im ok with gays, but i dont think theres room for them, just my opinion, sorry if i sound evil) i specially dont seek to work around them or cant think of them working in my field.. im a lav crewman 0313, i dont see gays excelling in any infantry field.... just my thought... lets go back to dont ask dont tell....i can see this repeal failing in a few years..were setting our selves up for failure...

[6SPD_soul]

I think it was time this policy was reformed. There have ALWAYS been gays in the military, and to pretend otherwise is just sticking your head in the sand. I don't see very much visibly changing. Most gay soldiers will probably continue to hide that fact, at least not advertise it. You're unlikely to get raped by a gay dude (or gal), so what's the big deal? This repeal isn't a license to put on a gay pride type exhibition, it just allows people to not have to hide their identity.

As far as all the people who were discharged under this policy, there are surely a good number who DIDN'T reveal their orientation, they were investigated and persecuted. That's a witchhunt, and America should be past that shit. Some people don't want to believe it, but statistically speaking, there have been hundreds of thousands of gay service-members who did their jobs as well as anyone else. To invalidate and discredit their service just because they're gay is prejudiced bullshit.

[gonefhsn]

We have been serving with gay people this whole time. If you think about it now soldiers cant get out of going to war with that excuse anymore, they will come up with something else. But homosexuals in the military openly is IMHO is going to be fine, will be weird at first, more so for the ones that try to come out of the closet then those that are straight.

[CJohn364]

Originally Posted by Onlyford4me

4. Equal punishment. Will there be a political correctness in the punishment process for violation of General Order number 1 and sexual harassment cases? I highly suspect yes. The minute the media catches any wind of a gay being discharged for sleeping with someone in a war zone or someone punished for sexual harassment, it'll be all over the news. And it happens all the time with straight people violating that order. Imagine if women and men were allowed to sleep in the same rooms together.

5. Training. I can only imagine the amount of sensitivity training that will occur. Will this affect readiness? What will have to be cut to teach this? If nothing, then there's no issue here.

Yup, you here about people getting in trouble for have straight sex while deployed, but you never see it on the news. In this case, however, you'll prolly hear about it in the news for about a week.

As far as the sensitivity training, they are already reinvinting the wheel with that crap. EO classes will focus more on the subject. Remember P.O.S.H.(Prevention Of Sexual Harassment) training? It's been reinvented to S.H.A.R.P. (Sexual Harassment Awareness Reporting Program) or something to that effect.

[MacAttack]

The way I see it, denying homosexuals the right to be in the military without fear of being caught was wrong. Finally, DADT has been repealed. It's a step forward in human rights.

America's been a bit slow with equal rights for homosexuals. At least this is a step in the right direction.

[Tbones00SE]

Originally Posted by Onlyford4me

I think there are things that will have to definitely be sorted out before we let them serve openly.

1. Housing. At the home station, not an issue. During Basic Training and deployments, definitely an issue. Men and women don't bunk together or shower together. How will this affect people who are openly uncomfortable with doing both with gay people. Right or wrong, there's a lot of people who will have problems with it.

Why would separate housing be needed? Take your shower and get out. Some of you act like now that DADT has been repealed that a gay soldier is going to be standing in the corner of the shower watching soap suds wash down the crack of your butt while holding an erect penis in their hands.

Stop giving yourselves so much credit. I don't know about you, but even though I love women, doesn't mean I find everyone of them to be attractive and I get a boner everytime I see one naked. It also means that not every woman finds me attractive and thus every gay soldier won't find you attractive either.

2. UCMJ. That would have to be changed to allow sodomy.

Don't see why that would be an issue.......

3. Activism. Military members are not allowed to participate in political rallies. Will gays be allowed to participate in gay rights rallies? If so, will they allow other GIs to participate in other activist rallies?

Same rules should apply.

4. Equal punishment. Will there be a political correctness in the punishment process for violation of General Order number 1 and sexual harassment cases? I highly suspect yes. The minute the media catches any wind of a gay being discharged for sleeping with someone in a war zone or someone punished for sexual harassment, it'll be all over the news. And it happens all the time with straight people violating that order. Imagine if women and men were allowed to sleep in the same rooms together.

Same rules should apply.

5. Training. I can only imagine the amount of sensitivity training that will occur. Will this affect readiness? What will have to be cut to teach this? If nothing, then there's no issue here.

Not military so I'm not sure, but common sense should be applied like you would for any other group. Don't call people out of their names and treat them with the respect which you would want to be treated with.

As long as all these issues can be sorted out and are well thought out, I don't see a problem with gays serving openly AT ALL. I personally would have been very uncomfortable for the first 5 months I was in had I been forced to shower with and sleep with someone that was attracted to me (potentially or for real, and man or woman).

People are just going to have to adapt and get over their feelings. Last I checked, serving in the military was still voluntary. If they don't like it then they have the choice not to join/re-enlist.

I don't see a problem with letting them resume from where they left off either. Were these people dishonorbly discharged? Many people were outted by others, not by themselves, so why should they have to start over for something they had no control over.

Now, the real issue with implementation is going to be with benefits to gay partners. Will the military honor gay marriages from those states that permit it?

[1stTimeFocus00]

well looks like ill be the first to say I dont like gays and I believe they shouldn't be in the military, plan and simple.

Its fine that it was don't ask don't tell; this made them be professionals at work and they can act how they wanted outside of it. Now they have to right to act how they please. I see it being a big problem

[Rafal]

Pleas like this will change anything guys were and always will be in military. All the soldiers here who where in a middle of the battle can tell one think. We don't give a F$% what you doing in your privet life as long you cover my A#$.

[GreenEnvy]

Originally Posted by Tbones00SE

Why would separate housing be needed? Take your shower and get out. Some of you act like now that DADT has been repealed that a gay soldier is going to be standing in the corner of the shower watching soap suds wash down the crack of your butt while holding an erect penis in their hands.

Stop giving yourselves so much credit. I don't know about you, but even though I love women, doesn't mean I find everyone of them to be attractive and I get a boner everytime I see one naked. It also means that not every woman finds me attractive and thus every gay soldier won't find you attractive either.

how about you get yourself an openly gay room mate in a two man room who has his boyfriend come over on weekends for "visits"... try that out for a couple months and see where that statement heads.



Not military so I'm not sure, but common sense should be applied like you would for any other group. Don't call people out of their names and treat them with the respect which you would want to be treated with.

Not being military I'm pretty sure you don't understand how housing works for single soldiers. depending on where you are you always have a room mate or more. This is one of the things not thought through very well.

People are just going to have to adapt and get over their feelings. Last I checked, serving in the military was still voluntary. If they don't like it then they have the choice not to join/re-enlist.

I don't see a problem with letting them resume from where they left off either. Were these people dishonorbly discharged? Many people were outted by others, not by themselves, so why should they have to start over for something they had no control over.

Now think about it, why would they have been outed by others? I know of 3 who were outed and dishonorably discharge because of their conduct and playing grab ass (sexual harassment) with other soldiers. Also sodomy is illegal according to UCMJ.

Now, the real issue with implementation is going to be with benefits to gay partners. Will the military honor gay marriages from those states that permit it?

The military has its own set of laws completely seperate from civilian law, the two are not combined.
Rob a store the state gets you first, then the military. It's the only area in the US where double jeopardy can take place for crimes.