General: Study gay ban but don't hurt force (Conway)

The Washington Times ^ | February 24, 2010 | Anne Flaherty AP

[jazusamo]

The Marine Corps commandant said Wednesday that the ability of U.S. troops to fight and win wars must trump other concerns as the United States considers whether to let gays serve openly in the military.

In testimony before a House committee, Gen. James Conway said he supports a Pentagon assessment to determine how to lift the ban. He also suggested that civil rights ultimately would have to take a back seat if it meant tampering with the military's ability to protect the country.

"That's what they have been built to do under the current construct, and I would argue that we've done a pretty good job bringing that to pass," he told the House Armed Services Committee.

"My concern would be that somehow that central purpose or focus were to become secondary to the discussion," he said.

Gen. Conway is seen as the most resistant among the service chiefs to efforts under way in Congress and the Pentagon to repeal the 1993 "don't ask, don't tell" law. But his testimony indicates that he won't stand in the way as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates undertakes a comprehensive study on how to lift the ban without hurting the force.

[TSgt]

"The military as an institution should not find itself so out of step with the public at large that it cannot relate to the society it's defending," he said.

Military and civilian life are vastly different especially in a time of war. This will absolutely kill unit morale and cohesion. But go ahead and turn the Armed Forces into one big orgy.

God I hate Obama.

[US Navy Vet]

EVERYONE above CDR and LtCol, LTC is nothing but a political HACK!

[SJSAMPLE]

Brave man.
We’ll miss him.

[jazusamo]

I agree and believe Conway agrees with you. Disappointed that he didn’t speak out more forcefully, I believe he has in the past.

[PGR88]

Sorry, but the words “Gay,” “force,” and “hurt” just make me nervous when I hear them used in the same sentence....