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Someone else's service doesn't count on your track record.

Nor do I claim hers as my own.

At any rate, what's your point?

Just that it seems we need more specialized Arab intel, not less. 'Tis all.

If you put activism/politics above the simplest of directives there is no way you should be trusted with our nation's secrets.

Agree.

Why not join up?

Actually, I'm looking for work right now and I am rather adept at learning languages...

Ok, but the military policy is don't ask-don't tell. It matters not what the policy is over- it's no different than required hair length and other uniform standards. These soldiers were in clear violation of a standing and very clear and simple policy and they disobeyed it. They would not be fit for service in any type of unit- Mil Intel or otherwise. There is no way to defend them. They knew the rules and they purposefully broke them.

If you're adept at learning language (I am myself as well) you should go to your local recruiter and ask to take the DLAB test (Defense Language Aptitude Battery). It's a pretty freaky test. It's a totally made up language. You listen on headphones and you have to select what the correct word for something is in a language you've never heard before. It's hard to tell if you're answering right or wrong- you don't know till you got your score. It supposedly measures any intrinsic ability you have at deciphering foreign language. I got a 118 on the thing, good enough to learn Russian or Arabic if I'm not mistaken. The DLI is also a good school. Monterrey, civvies, 8 hours a day of learning a language.

You ought to give it a go. You might be able to take the test without actually joining. If you make a good score- play hard to get with the recruiter and he'll hook you up with a good package. Get a good contract and you're looking at a sweet deal and a good job. If you make interrogator- you could be sweating jihadis in a couple of years.