An Army sergeant told an officer he was a homosexual, and the officer turned him in. During the investigation, the NCO admitted he was gay and even offered visual confirmation: a home videotape showing him kissing his civilian boyfriend. Needless to say, the sergeant was surprised with his commanding officer’s verdict: They found no evidence of homosexuality.
According to a Military Times article, selective enforcement of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law may be a growing trend. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a national advocate for gay service members, says it knows of about 500 gay troops who, like this NCO, are serving openly. Driven by what gay rights advocates say are the increasing manpower pressures of fighting two wars, discharges under the law have fallen to nearly half of the 2001 peak of 1,273, despite service assertions that nothing has changed.
If you hear it from SLDN, don’t give it much weight. SLDN represented Capt Dinges, the boyscout leader who abused his position by having relations with a 15 year old boy. Their moral standards are quite low. SLDN’s discharge numbers are skewed by failing to account for new recruits who use homosexuality as an excuse. SLDN dramatizes incidents where a commander may bend rules to keep a guy.
‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ is the perfect compromise. Many argue homosexuality is a trait and not conduct. With DADT, it doesn’t matter because a person can enter the military no matter how they feel and avoid discharge by watching their conduct.
SLDN is just representing their clients, who all have a right to competent counsel… just like the thousands of lawyers in the country who represent rapists, and cerial killers every day. They just so happen to specialize in representing gay servicemember, each of whom deserve to be represented by someone who is dedicated to serving their best interest.
It doesn’t surprise me that Joe W. thinks that DADT is the “perfect compromise”. His comment is an all too common view by the public that equates a homosexual with a sexual deviant.
DADT is not a compromise at all. Regardless of whether or not being gay is a choice, we are all american citizens and should be able to undertake the same “pursuits of happiness” as those who choose to be heterosexual.
The misconception is that most homosexuals are promiscuous, however there are a very large number of us who are in long term, loving monogamous relationships that we are proud of. Now imagine if you were in a group of people who, in the normal course of conversation, would talk about their families, significant others, and lives outside of work. Then imagine if you were the only one in the group who was told that if you talked about these same things, you would be fired.
I am appalled that any rational person can be so bigoted as to ignore the obvious and unsettling disparity in treatment.
I was just promoted to Sergent, I’ve been deployed in Iraq for the last 10 months and I’m being discharged based off of my admitting to a few other soldiers that I’m gay. There isn’t any visual evidence. My performance reviews are high but I’m still being discharged for admitting to being gay.
I’m sorry to hear that you are being discharged based soley on your sexual orientation. It’s unfair and wrong. It’s ashame that I want to serve my country but am afraid of even joining the military due for fear of compromising or lieing about who I am. I’m honest, strong willed, and very self aware. I want nothing more than to share my skills with my country but can’t because of don’t ask don’t tell.
Your wanting to serve is great. KEEP YOUR PERSONAL LIFE TO YOURSELF. NO ONE NEEDS TO KNOW YOUR SEX LIFE. I DON’T COME TO THE OFFICE EVERY DAY RANTING AND RAVING ABOUT WHAT MY HUSBAND AND I DO. JUST KEEP IT TO YOURSELF. THE DON’T ASK DON”T TELL POLICY IS A GOOD POLICY. KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT ABOUT YOUR GAYNESS!
@Lorelle, your comparison is poor and typical of someone ignorant to the actual situation. You don’t have to live with the fear that your coworkers at the office will hunt and pry to find out what you and your husband do in the privacy of your bedroom, or that, even if they suspect what you do, that you can be fired should they report even their suspicions to your supervisor. A good lot of us are, SURPRISE! SURPRISE! SURPRISE!!!! JUST AS NORMAL AS YOU, NOT RAVING SEXUAL FIENDS WHO WANT TO THROW OUR PRIVATE LIVES IN YOUR FACE!!!! Do NOT speak as on matters you do not and can never know anything about. Until you’ve lived the hard life of attempting to keep a homosexual lifestyle secret from the military, or of being the partner of a service member, YOU DON’T GET TO JUDGE THE POLICY.