[Terry Mross]

Your post said there were no women in the Navy until the mid 70’s. That’s wrong. I’m not talking about serving aboard ship. That came later.

What I meant by the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy comment is there were gays serving before this policy and most of us “didn’t ask” and most of them “didn’t tell”.

[central_va]

Clearly as a nation we are swirling around the toilet bowl faster.

[brownsfan]

“Your post said there were no women in the Navy until the mid 70’s. “

Got me confused with someone else. :)

I said women don’t belong on combatant vessels, and none were there in my time 77-81.

And I said queer women don’t belong in the Navy. I do realize queers have always been in all branches of the military.

We agree, don’t ask don’t tell, official or unofficial is the best plan.

[calex59]

What I meant by the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy comment is there were gays serving before this policy and most of us “didn’t ask” and most of them “didn’t tell”.

A favorite tactic of draft dodgers during the Vietnam war, and probably other wars before that, was to declare themselves gay. That would automatically disqualify them for service and no risk of being jailed as was the case with the ones who fled to Canada(such as Bill Clinton).