Posted on 03/31/2010 12:45:53 PM PDT by DesertRenegade
Treading into the murky area of the post-"don't ask, don't tell" era, the Army's senior civilian leader told reporters today that he has met with soldiers who revealed that they were gay.
Such a declaration, at least in theory, could be grounds for the service members to be discharged from the military.
Asked at a breakfast meeting with reporters in Washington whether he had met with gay members of the military to solicit their views on the changes to the law that bans them from openly serving, Army Secretary John McHugh, a former Republican congressman from New York, said, "I have reason to believe I have, yes."
Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week eased enforcement of the Pentagon's policy on gay men and women in uniform, making it significantly harder to initiate an investigation into someone's sexual orientation and to begin dismissal proceedings. But the law still prohibits openly gay men and women from serving in the military.
"Don't ask, don't tell" refers to the 1993 law signed by President Bill Clinton that requires openly gay members of the military to be discharged. Gates' new order includes line-by-line revisions to the legislation, but leaves in self-declarations as a basis for being removed from military service.
Gates also asked for a review of issues associated with gays serving in the military by Dec. 1, in preparation for what is expected to be a push to change the legislation banning gays from serving. In the meantime, however, current policy still allows for dismissal of serving members who are openly gay.
The irony of the situation was not lost on McHugh, who explained that he was interested in soliciting the opinion of soldiers about gays serving in the military, and in the course of the conversation, some of the people he met with revealed they were gay. Since the purpose was to solicit their honest views specifically on this issue, "I didn't feel it productive thereafter to initiate disciplinary action," he said.
The private discussions were meant to garner their views on the proposed changes, according to McHugh. "If there was a common theme, it was, 'I just want to serve my country,' " he said.
While many believe the repeal of the ban on gay men and women in uniform is inevitable, given President Barack Obama's stated commitment to changing the policy, there has already been controversy over a high-ranking general opposing the change. Army Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon wrote a letter earlier this month to Stars and Stripes urging soldiers to oppose the proposed changes, a move that was greeted with sharp criticism from top Pentagon officials.
McHugh told reporters that while he also thought the letter was inappropriate, the general would not be formally reprimanded. McHugh said he was scheduled to meet with Mixon today and expected the issue to be closed.
Did he tap his toes?
How touching, sucking up that is.
In bars? Rest areas?
Being gay and in the military isn’t the problem; it’s the behavior that will follow the minute they quit booting them out. My two sons (Army and USMC) will leave the military as soon as they can if this happens.
UCMJ??? When has that EVER mattered to Odumbo and his gang of communists???
How about this...It's private stuff...keep whatever you do to yourselves!!
So what do the Marines think of this mess??
I just bet he has.
Met them in gay bars.
Did he remember to cup the...
...oh, never mind.
Well since you don't follow the rules and think you can do whatever you personally think is best--it is your duty to resign Mr. McHugh.
General Colin Powell said it best: “I think it would be prejudicial to good order and discipline to try to integrate gays and lesbians in the current military structure. Skin color is a benign, nonbehavioral characteristic. Sexual orientation is perhaps the most profound of human behavioral characteristics. Comparison of the two is a convenient but invalid argument.”
Source: http://www.ontheissues.org/Cabinet/Colin_Powell_Civil_Rights.htm
He should tender his resignation effective immediately!
Do you have any intelligent comments to add to this very serious discussion?
Army Undersecretary SADDAM IZER was not available for comment.
If you are suggesting that he is queer, you are sadly mistaken.
I’m not, he’s a go along to get along. He’ll follow the bread crumb trail to wherever the power leads.
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