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 ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ law, according to a report in Friday’s New York Times. The letter’s 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 ‘don’t ask, don’t 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.
I think the only reason we even had a ceremony was because the XO was still a Wog and demanded it. I've talked to guys who crossed the line on other ships where the Skipper barely acknowledged it. Today's COs live in fear of the slightest mishap turning into a career-ender. Crossing the line ceremonies, beer days, etc... are viewed as unnecessary and potential liabilities.
The navy is still the best job I've had. The pay and benefits are comfortable. I met my beloved wife in port overseas. I made 2nd class at three years and the re-enlistment bonus for Ordnancemen was very, very good!
I never said that non-combat officers have no standing to comment. However, their persective is different and (perhaps) not taking into account what is necessary to maintain Espirt de Corps in a combat unit. Also, I find it suspicious that such a high percentage signing the letter were medical officers.
I know you didn’t. Hope you saw the following post in which I apologized for attributing to you a comment made by another.
R.
Many people in the military are highly religious and/or from the South (which still has an old fashioned sense of honor). I would even go as far to say they are its backbone. If you legalized homosexuality and condoned gay conduct that was detrimental to good order and discipline, you would see the military empty of those people fast. They might come to the conclusion that the behavior arrayed before them was not worth fighting and dying for. Certainly, the would not want to raise their children in base housing next to homosexual couples. I can’t prove it, but I firmly believe this would decimate the military as we know it.
My thoughts exactly. Dirty tricks don’t fall far from the tree of Evilhill.
You're wrong. It's like asking all doctors to comment on the use of deaf operating room nurses. If I ask a surgeon or anyone that uses the OR they have an understanding of the problem. If I ask a radiologist, sports medicine doctor or psychiatrist about this, they don't know d#ck about the operating room.
That's my point. Guys that aren't in combat or haven't served in combat have a hard time understanding the crudeness and other BS that goes with living together and having to trust someone. This trust is at the basic level. It's not , "gee i wonder how he feels." It's more to the point of having no doubts about someone.
If you see someone not advance on a position, or fail to provide cover cause they're ducking or always come up lame when there is a crappy detail....well then you call them a pussy or fag or worse. It's all in the way team mates on a football locker room act. Now if you say that and get brought up on charges by UCMJ for sexual harassment of homosexuals, well then you start to think of them as "special".
NOBODY in your unit is "special" or "different". You are all the same, Marines. Your exactly the same as every other Marine. Now you've got to treat certain Marines different.
It would be a mess.
Have I served with homosexuals? Probably. Did I trust the individuals that I thought were homosexuals? Never had the opportunity to need to trust them.
But from what I've seen of homosexuals in education, medicine, politics and churches.... Homosexuals are like flies. Whatever they don't eat, they sh#t on.
There only purpose in life is to justify there perverted lifestyle of narcissistic, sociopathic, gender confused to others, while either seducing other boys to their game or destroying the institutions they occupy.
Openly allowing faggotry in the military will only help to destroy our military.
“Many people in the military are highly religious and/or from the South (which still has an old fashioned sense of honor). I would even go as far to say they are its backbone. If you legalized homosexuality and condoned gay conduct that was detrimental to good order and discipline, you would see the military empty of those people fast. They might come to the conclusion that the behavior arrayed before them was not worth fighting and dying for. Certainly, the would not want to raise their children in base housing next to homosexual couples. I can’t prove it, but I firmly believe this would decimate the military as we know it.”
As someone who comes from a Southern Military family, you sir are exactly right. Openly allowing gays in the military would cause a great reduction in Southern support, which currently supports the military more than any other region (The Midwest would act in a similar way.)
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