Army Ranger and medal winner argues for repeal of DADT

[paulsby]

from WSJ.com

I was a line infantryman in the Army's Ranger regiment from 2000-04, earning a promotion to sergeant within three years. In that time, my platoon performed dozens of combat missions on the front lines. Our lives depended on complete mutual trust.

Several of my colleagues knew I was gay. We lived in the closest possible conditions. When there were showers, we showered together. When we were out overnight on the cold, bare mountains of Afghanistan, we slept huddled together for warmth. It should go without saying that there was nothing remotely sexual about these situations. We had uncomfortable experiences -- we were at war, after all -- but my buddies were never uncomfortable with me.

The reason I didn't come out to more of my comrades wasn't out of concern for morale. I was worried about losing my job.

Since "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" came into effect, some 13,000 service members have been fired for being gay. Thousands more decided against pursuing a full career in the military and let their contracts expire. Replacements can be recruited and trained -- at a cost of more than $36 million per year -- but each individual's institutional knowledge is lost, to the detriment of the unit and the mission. . . .

Straight and gay soldiers have been fighting side by side in Afghanistan, Iraq and beyond without incident. More than 20 of our closest allies have integrated gays into their ranks, including all of NATO except Turkey. American troops work and live with these forces without incident.

Here at home, every government service is integrated, including the paramilitary sections of the CIA that work hand in glove with the armed services. The presence of gays in these organizations is a nonissue. The idea that our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines would have any greater difficulty adjusting is an insult to their professionalism.

[aikoaiko]

1. Its almost here.

I know there are many who don't like the DADT policy (and for good reason), but I always saw it as a stepping stone to internal realization that banning homosexuals from the military was ridiculous.

Many gay men and women have suffered a long time and had careers destroyed with the DADT policy and the preceding policy, but more and more straight men and women in the military are realizing that sexual orientation is not all that relevant in the military.

[proteus_lives]

2. Say no to DADT!

Gay men and Lesbian women already serve are nation with honor. Show them the respect they deserve!