Don't ask --Don't tell Will never work !!!

[island1fox]

I personally do not care if a soldier is gay or straight --each to his own. The problem I see -when everyone declares their sexual preference --who sleeps with whom and who showers with whom ??
The straight male or female will now have to put up with flirting or gawking ???
What say you ?

 

[CaliforniaPaul]

Sounds like your nervous.

 

[bbsam]

I say you are late. It has worked for 17 years (or so).

 

[island1fox]

I say you are late. It has worked for 17 years (or so).

bbsam,
You are 100% correct --I should have made it clear that that the repeal will create a whole host of new problems . Thank you !

 

[Nimnim]

Personally I don't think sexuality has any place at all in the armed services. Don't ask don't tell should apply to everyone. Let people assume what they want, but who you want to go to bed with has no bearing to a battlefield.

 

[island1fox]

Personally I don't think sexuality has any place at all in the armed services. Don't ask don't tell should apply to everyone. Let people assume what they want, but who you want to go to bed with has no bearing to a battlefield.

Nimnin,
I agree with you but gay rights groups are insisting that don't ask -don't tell gets repealed ---when people declare their sexuality ----that is where the sleeping and shower problems begin.
If a male is sexually attracted to other males --should he shower with the females ??? No one seems to be thinking about the consequences of repeal.

 

[Jones]

You're way too worried about this, it's really not a big deal. Young people today are far more accepting of homosexuality than older generations (in general). For all the doomsaying, I suspect that if and when "don't ask don't tell" is repealed people will wonder what all the fuss was about in the first place.

 

[cosmictrucker]

Fact: There are Gay's serving in the military now. A change in policy doesn't change that fact. If someone is now open to declare his or her sexual preference will only change the way other people view them, not the way they view others. (shower gawking gone wild) I don't understand the argument that this freedom would somehow unleash a torrent of perversion among the troops. Those who are gay now, will be so in the future. Most will never be known or suspected.

I also believe there would be less of a security threat if a gay service person didn't have to hide this fact. Less risk of blackmail and such.

 

[bbsam]

I think the real problem is that "Don't Ask Don't Tell" is really "Don't Tell and You Damn Sure Better Not Get Found Out". I don't think gay people are advocating for ascots and tiaras for the battlefield or anything ridiculous at all. It's just that this nation does itself and it's citizens a great disservice in the systematic disqualification of individuals with a requirement that has nothing to do with one's ability to perform the task at hand.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Having served 8 years in the military, I may have a better insight than others on this policy. For the most part, a person's sexual orientation was of little consequence just as long as they got the job done. There have been gays in the military since the Revolutionary War. Keep in mind that I was in the Air Force, which tends to attract the higher end recruits, those looking to use the military as a stepping stone to a career in which they can use their training. Those who choose to join the Army and Marines tend to not be as enlightened and may not be as accepting of gays, especially in a combat situation. Remember, it wasn't that long ago where judges would often give defendants the choice of jail or the military, so we are not talking the cream of the crop in some cases. how accepting do you think Psycho (Francis) from Stripes would be if he knew that there was a gay in their squadron?

Don't ask, don't tell works but don't be naive to think that it is 100%.

 

[bbsam]

Maybe psycho Francis needs to leave the army so Back door Brian can serve his country honorably.

 

[over9five]

But Upstate, it has been years since you were in. I think that kids now don't care if you're gay. The problem seems to be with the older generals and higher ups. They're the ones saying to hold off on ending the policy.

 

[Jones]

Having served 8 years in the military, I may have a better insight than others on this policy. For the most part, a person's sexual orientation was of little consequence just as long as they got the job done. There have been gays in the military since the Revolutionary War. Keep in mind that I was in the Air Force, which tends to attract the higher end recruits, those looking to use the military as a stepping stone to a career in which they can use their training. Those who choose to join the Army and Marines tend to not be as enlightened and may not be as accepting of gays, especially in a combat situation. Remember, it wasn't that long ago where judges would often give defendants the choice of jail or the military, so we are not talking the cream of the crop in some cases. how accepting do you think Psycho (Francis) from Stripes would be if he knew that there was a gay in their squadron?

Don't ask, don't tell works but don't be naive to think that it is 100%.

Upstate, I was a marine for 19 years. No disrespect intended, but you're talking completely out of your ass on this one. The notion that airforce recruits are "higher end" or "more enlightened" than those who join the the other services is simply ridiculous, and in your case those comments are clearly self serving. Stripes was a funny movie, but do you honestly think it in any way represented the reality of life in the army or marines? If so you must have had a very sheltered 8 years.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Today's military is more tolerant but I still say that, especially in the confined space of a submarine or combat quarters, don't ask/don't tell needs to be kept in place.

 

[Babagounj]

Today's military is more tolerant but I still say that, especially in the confined space of a submarine or combat quarters, don't ask/don't tell needs to be kept in place.

Now how do you feel about the recent report that women are going to be able to serve on submarines ?

 

[av8torntn]

But Upstate, it has been years since you were in. I think that kids now don't care if you're gay. The problem seems to be with the older generals and higher ups. They're the ones saying to hold off on ending the policy.

They are the ones that will have to create and implement the policies to comply with the law. If you think about it there are lots of things that have to be done to accommodate this from EO policy to religious accommodation to the annual briefings that the military is so famous for.

 

[over9five]

And Uncle Sam gets dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. About time!

I think anyone brave enough to volunteer for our armed services should be able to do so regardless of sexual orientation.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

And Uncle Sam gets dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. About time!

I think anyone brave enough to volunteer for our armed services should be able to do so regardless of sexual orientation.

That's easy for anyone who has never served to say. I don't think this will be an issue for the vast majority but I do think it could be an issue in the confined quarters of a submarine or in a combat situation.

I thought John McCain summed it up very well.

 

[over9five]

That's easy for anyone who has never served to say. I don't think this will be an issue for the vast majority but I do think it could be an issue in the confined quarters of a submarine or in a combat situation.

I thought John McCain summed it up very well.

"If it's not broken...."?
But once again, he is an old guy. The problem is, it was broken.

It's silly to have men and women fighting for our freedom. Except if you are gay, we're not fighting for that freedom...

 

[tieguy]

And Uncle Sam gets dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. About time!

I think anyone brave enough to volunteer for our armed services should be able to do so regardless of sexual orientation.

All the more reason to not discuss sexual orientation. I'm not sure the young people are as receptive to the concept as we think. In a civilian world most of us will support a gay persons right to hold a job and avoid discriminatory practices. When a person is however making a decision as to who they are going to fight and possibly die next to the process can become much more selective.
Should I be allowed to choose to make the ultimate sacrifice fighting next to someone of similar beliefs and orientation? And if you decide to force me to fight next to a gay person will I fight as hard to save his ass as I would a heterosexual? There are legitimate reasons why those old out of touch generals believe knowing someone is gay may seriously affect the cohesiveness of the fighting unit.
Fighting and winning a battle is about a group of individuals learning to put aside differences to fight as a team. We can force people to fight on the same team but we can not always force them to fight for each other. Sometimes its better to know less about our team members in order to maintain that teamwork.