Army dismisses gay soldier 'outed' by e-mail

AP ^ | 7/27/6 | DUNCAN MANSFIELD

[SmithL]

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) - A decorated sergeant and Arabic language specialist was dismissed from the U.S. Army under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, though he says he never admitted being gay and his accuser was never identified.

Bleu Copas, 30, told The Associated Press he is gay, but said he was "outed" by a stream of anonymous e-mails to his superiors in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.

"I knew the policy going in," Copas said in an interview on the campus of East Tennessee State University, where he is pursuing a master's degree in counseling and working as a student adviser. "I knew it was going to be difficult."

An eight-month Army investigation culminated in Copas' honorable discharge on Jan. 30 _ less than four years after he enlisted, he said, out of a post-Sept. 11 sense of duty to his country.

Copas now carries the discharge papers, which mention his awards and citations, so he can document his military service for prospective employers. But the papers also give the reason for his dismissal.

He plans to appeal to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records.

The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, established in 1993, prohibits the military from inquiring about the sex lives of service members, but requires discharges of those who openly acknowledge being gay.

The policy is becoming "a very effective weapon of vengeance in the armed forces" said Steve Ralls, a spokesman for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a Washington-based watchdog organization that counseled Copas and is working to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Copas said he was never open about his sexuality in the military and suspects his accuser was someone he mistakenly befriended and apparently slighted.

More than 11,000 service members have been dismissed under the policy, including 726 last year _ an 11 percent jump from 2004 and the first increase since 2001.

That's less than a half-percent of the more than 2 million soldiers, sailors and Marines dismissed for all reasons since 1993, according to the General Accountability Office.

But the GAO also noted that nearly 800 dismissed gay or lesbian service members had critical abilities, including 300 with important language skills. Fifty-five were proficient in Arabic, including Copas, a graduate of the Defense Language Institute in California.

Discharging and replacing them has cost the Pentagon nearly $369 million, according to the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Lt. Col. James Zellmer, Copas' commanding officer in the 313th military intelligence battalion, told the AP that "the evidence clearly indicated that Sgt. Copas had engaged in homosexual acts."

While investigators were never able to determine who the accuser was, "in the end, the nature and the volume of the evidence and Sgt. Copas's own sworn statement led me to discharge him," Zellmer said.

Military investigators wrote that Copas "engaged in at least three homosexual relationships, and is dealing with at least two jealous lovers, either of whom could be the anonymous source providing this information."

Shortly after Copas was appointed to the 82nd Airborne's highly visible All-American Chorus last May, the first e-mail came to the chorus director.

"The director brought everyone into the hallway and told us about this e-mail they had just received and blatantly asked, 'Which one of you are gay?'" Copas said.

Copas later complained to the director and his platoon sergeant, saying the questions violated "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

"They said they would watch it in the future," Copas said. "And they said, even specifically then, 'Well, you are not gay are you?' And I said, 'no.'"

The accuser, who signed his e-mails "John Smith" or "ftbraggman," pressed Copas' superiors to take action against him or "I will inform your entire battalion of the information that I gave you."

On Dec. 2, investigators formally interviewed Copas and asked if he understood the military's policy on homosexuals, if he had any close acquaintances who were gay, and if he was involved in community theater. He answered affirmatively.

But Copas declined to answer when they asked, "Have you ever engaged in homosexual activity or conduct?" He refused to answer 19 of 47 questions before he asked for a lawyer and the interrogation stopped.

Copas said he accepted the honorable discharge to end the ordeal, to avoid lying about his sexuality and risking a perjury charge, and to keep friends from being targeted.

"It is unfair. It is unjust," he said. "Even with the policy we have, it should never have happened."

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

Does learning arabic languages make you queer? ;-)

[Red Badger]

I "religiously object" to the activities of muslims but I'm sure there are many serving quite well in the military. I'm quite sure they don't all want to kill me or blow up buildings or behead their christian and jewish neighbors. Not all gays are out to get in your pants. Not all gays have HIV. ........If you were in an automobile accident and were seriously injured would you refuse help from a gay motorist? If the motorist were the victim and you stopped to help, would you refuse to help him when you found out he was gay?.......

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

If you were in an automobile accident and were seriously injured would you refuse help from a gay motorist?

I'd think any person who said, "Hi I'm gay and here to help." is psychotic.

[TheSuaveOne]

"Then you had best..."

Let's see, how to phrase this??? Who the hell are you? Had best? Give me a break, or what?...la

[FloridianBushFan]

Actually everyone of those countries are democracy's and strong allies of the United States especially in the war on Terror. People serving in other countries militaries have no problem serving and fighting with people who are gay by their side. Life goes on

[Red Badger]

If they actually said that they would be strange.........except in SF..........

[icdorn]

"Not all gays have HIV"

You are demanding impossible perfection, ALL of them don't have to have HIV for it to be a health risk associated with that group. And in the US, they(male homosexuals) represent about 2% of the population yet are spreading HIV far faster then both heterosexual women and men combined, in fact, it is the fastest way it is transmited!

Cumalative Diagnosis
Male-to-male sexual contact 441,380
Heterosexual contact 159,114
http://www.avert.org/usastatg.htm

And I could use your "All or nothing" illogic to justify just about anything. As long as atleast one member of the group isn't participating in the negative activity etc.. you can't discriminate (in your world that is).

[mjwise]

Er no indeed. 49-48 (ONE vote) fell 11 short of the 60 required to send the matter for an up-or-down tally. So I stand corrected on a technicality.

...and the up-or-down vote would have required 67 yeas from senators, which it clearly was not anywhere close to having. Perhaps you're confusing it with the flag burning amendment which did come within one vote IIRC (66-34). So, you obviously feeling threatened that this somehow applies to you, I see.... It would appear so - and it's your problem, not mine. Apply it as the shoe fits indeed...

You were the one who used the roundabout method to actually addressing someone specific by using "reply to: All", so I was honestly curious. Don't get all accusatory because I called you on it.

Really? NEWSFLASH! Thank you for clearing that up, none of us realized that... No doubt metaphors are slightly above the level you are used to.

You're the one going around touting South Park as some sort of study in homosexuality. It makes as much sense as touting the old Wile E. Coyote cartoons as an accurate portrayal of the coyote-roadrunner relationship.

[Lucky Dog]

I "religiously object" to the activities of muslims but I'm sure there are many serving quite well in the military. I'm quite sure they don't all want to kill me or blow up buildings or behead their christian and jewish neighbors.

No one objects to the activities of any person or group, including Muslims, in this country who follow the law. The same is true in the military. If the queers and/or the Muslims or anyone else follow the law (UCMJ), no one objects. The only problem seems to be that a great many of the queers do not follow the law. Are you defending them for breaking the law?

Not all gays are out to get in your pants.

However, there are those who do. It is those who create the problems in a military environment. As I noted in the previous paragraph, if the queers follow the UCMJ, they have no problem in the military and vice versa.

Not all gays have HIV. ........If you were in an automobile accident and were seriously injured would you refuse help from a gay motorist?

If that queer individual were bleeding and I was cogent and competent at the time and not in imminent danger of death, I probably would. If I were in danger of imminent death without such aid, then issue is moot. With such assistance I run the risk of death and without it I run the risk of death. You have posed a false dilemma.

If the motorist were the victim and you stopped to help, would you refuse to help him when you found out he was gay?.......

As a former first responder I was trained that without gloves, mask and eye shielding (depending upon the situation) that I should refuse to render such aid. To do so, is to directly place my own life at risk as well as that of my wife and other victims that I may be rendering such aid to in the near future. HIV may be contracted and not be diagnosed for some time. Therefore, to knowingly expose yourself to a known, or highly likely, carrier without proper precautions is irresponsible to your self as well as others.

[Retired Army Special Forces]

Nowhere does my reply state the various members of EU don't follow so-called "democratic" principals. Nice attempt at the Straw Man fishing with a Red Herring though. Most of these nations you look up to with queers in their military are also largely Socialistic in nature and adored by American Democrats.

ANYTHING that is adored and fervently wished to be emulated by what passes for today's Deaniac KOSmunist DUmmycRAT party is most likely NOT good for conservative America.

And Britain is now going the way of the French and Spanish surrender monkeys. Funny they are degenerating into this mentality not so long after caving to the Socialist Left and opening their military to the homosexuals.

If the "Dutch Model" is what we want for our military, then why not UNIONIZE IT like the Dutch do? Go on strike when they get called to fight. The French don't need to unionize theirs. They either sub-contract out their fights or they simply surrender. British homosexual troops now participate in Gay Pride Parades. Is that what we want for our military? Once again, they quickly become their own "protected" class of "victims". A totally Leftist mentality. Is that what we want our taxpayer money going for? Clearly, NOT conservative thinking.

I "tolerate" those other nations. It damn sure doesn't mean I want to "be like the Eurotrash" and it damn sure doesn't mean I even like them or respect their cowardly and predominantly ANTI-American nature and inferiority complex.

[abercrombie_guy_38]

Some of the attitudes/opinions on here are amazing.

Should we have a DADT policy on race, too? I mean, racial problems probably have some affect on serving. Before you blindly respond to this question, think about it. Think about it well.

[Lucky Dog]

Let's see, how to phrase this??? Who the hell are you? Had best? Give me a break, or what?...la

To respond to your first question: Who the hell are you?, I am the one with the facts and logic on my side in this discussion.

To respond to your second question: Had best?, for the sake of avoiding cognitive dissonance, it is best for you to concede that your argument is fallacious.

As for your last question: Give me a break, or what?, the answer is decidedly "no," you have earned no "break" with your specious argument.

[Retired Army Special Forces]

Like I said, obviously the metaphors escape you. Don't you have a Gay Pride Parade to attend?

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

If they actually said that they would be strange.........except in SF..........

True. But how on earth would one know. I'd expect being seriously injured, my "gaydar" might well be broken. And even if it wasn't, it's often unreliable anyways. ;-P

[Red Badger]

Yes, gaydar can be notoriously wrong in both Positive ID and Negative ID..........

[TheSuaveOne]

"Like I said, obviously the metaphors escape you. Don't you have a Gay Pride Parade to attend?"

Don't you have a KKK rally to attend?...la

[FloridianBushFan]

You are still unable to answer the question or prove any of us wrong that gays can not serve in the military successfully . You might not like the governments of these other countries and that has nothing to do with this discussion.This discussion has to do with gays serving in the military.

The point is that there have not been all these major problems in these counties militaries that you and others like you predict would happen if gays were allowed to serve in the military here with out the fear of getting kicked out. There is no proof that the military will degenerate and become unable to do their jobs just because gays are serving. All these militaries continue to do well all around and continue to fight the war of terror and perform all their duties. This includes Israel who is currently fighting a war on two fronts right now, Great Britain and Australia who continue to serve in Iraq and fight terrorism.

[Retired Army Special Forces]

Some of pro-gay agenda here apparently want all the rest of us to place our lives in danger for the militant gay agenda. What a pantload. They talk a lot of smack but if they were in that situation you can count that they would leave the area as quick as they could rather then plunge their hands into a wrecked car full of shattered glass to apply pressure to a bleeding homosexuals artery with bare hands in the "would you help the poor queer injured in the car wreck" sob-story scenario while it's likely that most of the rest of us would render some type of aid, even if merely a rag tied onto the end of a stick. The bleeding hearters would be no where to be found.

[Lucky Dog]

The bleeding hearters would be no where to be found.

Your analysis appears to be correct.

[Retired Army Special Forces]

Answer what question? You only make pro-homosexual agenda statements.

Have you served in a combat arms unit? Funny thing how the overwhelming majority of those who have served in America's armed forces in ground COMBAT units (the ones who catch most of the shit) are against taking this whole homosexual agenda thing any further than the current DADT policy that is already in place and many who serve or have served are even against that.

Obviously we have KOSmunists and DUmmies pushing their agenda in here with some pretty funny names

. You are unable to answer the qustion as to why you feel that America is required to emulate the Europeans and others. You clearly champion them over America.