Posted on 12/02/2007 4:35:26 AM PST by Daffynition
Twenty-eight retired generals and admirals released a letter on Friday urging Congress to repeal the dont ask, dont tell law, according to a report in Fridays New York Times. The letters release marked the the 14th anniversary of the policy that allows gay men and lesbians to serve in the military but only if they keep their orientation secret.
We respectfully urge Congress to repeal the dont ask, dont tell policy, says the letter, a copy of which Stars and Stripes also received.
The officers said in the letter that scholarly data show that 65,000 gay men and lesbians now serve in the American armed forces and that there are more than 1 million gay veterans.
They have served our nation honorably, the letter states.
Although the signers of the letter are high-ranking, none is of the stature of Gen. John Shalikashvili, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when the policy was adopted and who now argues for its repeal, the Times noted. Shalikashvili refocused attention on the issue earlier this year when he wrote in a New York Times op-ed that conversations with military personnel had prompted him to change his position.
Through 2006, more than 10,000 people were removed from the military under the policy, according to government statistics cited by the Times.
But the number of servicemembers discharged under the policy has declined noticeably since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, dropping to 612 in fiscal 2006 from 1,227 in fiscal 2001, the paper reported.
Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman, told the Times on Thursday that there were no efforts at the Pentagon or across the military to alter the policy.
We respectfully urge Congress to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Those of us signing this letter have dedicated our lives to defending the rights of our citizens to believe whatever they wish. As General Colin Powell, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs said when the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was enacted, it is not the place of the military or those in senior leadership to make moral judgments.
Scholarly data show that there are approximately one million gay and lesbian veterans in the United States today, as well as 65,000 gays and lesbians currently serving in our armed forces. They have served our nation honorably.
We support the recent comments of another former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General John Shalikashvili, who has concluded that repealing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy would not harm, and would indeed help, our armed forces. As is the case in Britain, Israel, and other nations which allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are professionals who are able to work together effectively despite differences in race, gender, religion, and sexuality. Such collaboration reflects the strength and the best traditions of our democracy.
Lieutenant General Jerry Hilmes; Branch: Army
Vice Admiral Harold Koenig; Branch: Navy; Field: Medical
Vice Admiral James Zimble, Midlothian, VA; Branch: Navy; Field: Medical
Major General Leslie Burger, Vancouver, WA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Major General Alexander Burgin, Salem, OR; Branch: Army NG; Field: Artillery
Major General Michael Conrad, McLean, VA; Field: Infantry
Major General James Delk, Fair Oaks, CA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Major General Jack Farris, New Jersey; Branch: Air Force; Field: Aviation (pilot)
Major General Fred Forster, Tennessee; Field: Aviation
Major General David Hale, Hampton Bays, NY; Field: Combat
Major General Randy Jayne, McClean, VA; Branch: Air NG; Field: Aviation (pilot)
Major General Dennis Laich, Dublin, OH; Branch: Army; Field: Military Police
Major General Dennis Malcor, Vine Grove, KY; Branch: Army; Field: Combat
Major General Michael Scotti*, Arlington, VA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Major General Harry Sieben, Minnesota; Branch: Army and Air NG
Rear Admiral William Retz; Branch: Navy
Brigadier General Clara Adams-Ender, Woodbridge, VA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Brigadier General Dale Barber, Waverly, NY; Branch: Army; Field: Infantry Engineer
Brigadier General Harold Bowman, Pleasant Hill, IA; Branch: Army NG; Field; Medical
Brigadier General Douglas Bradley, Diablo, CA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Brigadier General William Colvin; Branch: Army NG
Brigadier General Bob Hardy; Branch: Army
Brigadier General JD Johnson, Salt Lake City, UT; Branch: Army
Brigadier General Phil Peay, Utah; Field: Engineering
Brigadier General Robert Poirot, Evergreen, CO; Branch: Army; Field: Artillery
Brigadier General Philip Pushkin, Randallstown, MD; Branch: Army NG
Brigadier General Donald Schenk, Troy, MI; Branch: Army; Field: Combat Systems
Brigadier General Daniel Wardrop, Williamsburg, VA; Field: Artillery
*General Scotti passed away in September, 2007 after agreeing to sign onto this statement. His widow has requested that he remain on the statement.
Sounds like all of them are desk jockeys.
If any were awarded meadals it was a john kerry style of a medal to get rid of an incompetent.
As for the “stature” comment...
He seemed to creat a bosnian bloodbath quite well.
This only points out we need to go BACK TO the DO ask and DO expel.
Having been a reservist, I don’t agree with your smaller NG points. I do however think many NG Generals are promoted because of political connections to the Governors.
I respectfully ask this: How many retired Generals are there in the US Armed Forces? I have tried to get some estimate, and couldnt... does anyone have an estimate?
If there are 10s of thousands, well I could probably find 50 that would endorse anything.
I ‘would’ bet on it too
I may be wrong, but I don’t see the names of Wesley “Perfumed Prince” Clark and Paul “Walking Small” Eaton. They’re cinched-up to Ms. Hillary’s apron strings so what is their (ahem) position?
There are few secrets aboard a warship.
BS. It's not that high.
I want to see the "scholarly data". I'll bet it's from some gay "rights" organization.
Personally I want to thank CNN for ambushing the GOP candidates with this issue once again for all to see that the liberals have absolutely nothing to bring to the table but the past...
There is no future with these shlups, and to have their dogs bring it up again illustrates this point...
One thing after serving our country “in the trenches” so to speak is really kinda funny when you get right down to it...
Not once during the whole debate about homosexuals serving in the armed forces for this country was any rank and file interviewd or testified before congress or given a chance to tell what it is “we” would have to face either way, hoew this issue really was going to be handled...
I personally knew of only one person that was in my “division/department” while I was in the fleet...And that person never admitted, or demonstrated anything but professionalism and integrity to the job...Do I excuse his desires or tendencies??? No, did I approve??? No...
Having said all of this, those of us who have served and are serving (rank and file) know why this is a serious issue, but also we are smart enough, more than any politician, and sometimes even all of these flag officers know what the problems are with this...
It has nothing to do with the socio-interaction between heterosexual and homosexual service members...As much as this is what the politicians want to engineer into the armed services of this country...
The prevalence of adverse medical conditions is what the risks are with allowing this to continue to be a wink wink nod nod issue in the armed services...Plain and simple...Albiet it is a slower transference of conditions because units (especially Navy) your emergency blood supply is the guy or gal right next to you...And thats just the first of a few I could rattle off, but I’ll let y’all figure out the rest...
Soi thats why after years I have to publically say something thats been bugging me since the 80’s...
No one wants to get the opinion of those who are directly going to have to deal with this issue, and not a bunch of desk jockeys (with all due respect!) And the three flag officers I have served with in the past, who know me personally, would agree with me on this...
Adm. Rodney Rempt
Adm. William Sutton
This is never going to be an issue that warrants the amount of time and hand0wringing that it has due to the lack of vision by our government...I do not blame or disagree with much that the officers who have been asked to testify to this issue have done so...
It’s just another demonstration/illustration of how elected officials continue to fail the armed services of this country...
They won't know their position until PIAPS tells them.
wintertime: Please read post #17.
Thank you. Truly.
While I believe "all" these general officers are greviously wrong-headed to advocate rescinding "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," I think it is equally wrong-headed to believe non-combat general officers have no standing and no expertise to advocate such changes.
Actually, those comments shocked me. We have Texans rolling in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan all the time.
Kinda thought that kind of thinking had finally been left to the left.
Exactly! Generals aren't the one's in the foxholes. If the sarge sends two homos to a forward observation post for the night, do you really have a forward observation post? No, but it's not the General who's in danger of being overrun.
which would explain all thos safety stand downs during the early clinton years.
I remember the first when people were falling overboard.
I know. And when I was a division officer and any of my men missed a morning muster it was always due to booze and broads. Never ran into a single case where it was because one of my men was shacked up with another guy.
I hope all the 27 live ones get HIV and take a dirt nap. They are nothing more than commies who seek to destroy our military.
You are correct Jacquerie, those 28 idiots remind me of the Spec.4 jailhouse lawyers, who know nothing about anything good for the military.
Respectfully,
NSNR
R.
this just ads to the bitter desk jockey observation.
They don’t know the WHY of military.
Many “tell” when they don’t want to keep their military obligation.
Sailor falls in love with a member of the opposite sex: Too bad, write ‘em a letter.
Faggot falls in love: Unsuitability discharge.
It bears repeating:
“Its just another demonstration/illustration of how elected officials continue to fail the armed services of this country...”
Care to guess what’s going to happen if the dhimmis win in ‘08?
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