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Army dismisses gay soldier 'outed' by e-mail
AP ^ | 7/27/6 | DUNCAN MANSFIELD

Posted on 07/27/2006 7:39:00 AM PDT by 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."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: army; dontaskdonttell; homosexualagenda; military
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Bleu Copas, shown Wednesday, July 19, 2006 in Bristol, Tenn, was a decorated U.S. Sergeant and Arabic language specialist dismissed from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Copas says he never admitted being gay and his accuser was never identified.
1 posted on 07/27/2006 7:39:01 AM PDT by SmithL
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Somebody told


2 posted on 07/27/2006 7:39:32 AM PDT by SmithL (The fact that they can't find Hoffa is proof that he never existed.)
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To: SmithL
The rumor is that he dropped the soap, and wouldn't pick it up.
3 posted on 07/27/2006 7:41:52 AM PDT by Pukin Dog (Sans Reproache)
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To: SmithL
Ha! Check out the title of the thread posted just prior to this one "back door amnesty."

Was that foreshadowing? A premonition? Or just lucky timing?

4 posted on 07/27/2006 7:43:34 AM PDT by Sax (You Done Tore Out My Heart And Stomped That Sucker Flat)
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To: SmithL

"But the papers also give the reason for his dismissal."

I question this statement. What exactly does it say on his DD 214? The article already states that he received an honorable discharge so the section that address character of service will say honorable. Many years ago the military put reenlistment codes (RE) on the DD 214 but this practice has been stopped. So I wonder what on his DD 214 addresses his supposed homosexuality?


5 posted on 07/27/2006 7:44:55 AM PDT by ops33 (Retired USAF Senior Master Sergeant)
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To: SmithL
Bleu Copas

Sorry, but thats just about one of the gayest names I can think of.

Having said that, if he is an Arab language specialist, and we supposedly have a hard time coming up with such people, maybe we coulda made an exception for him?

6 posted on 07/27/2006 7:45:46 AM PDT by Paradox (Removing all Doubt since 1998!)
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To: SmithL

It was the show tunes on his iPod that did it.

Personally I think it's a waste to discharge this guy. Don't we need Arabic language specialists at this time?


7 posted on 07/27/2006 7:47:10 AM PDT by garyhope (It's World War IV, right here, right now courtesy of Islam.)
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To: SmithL

BFD.

AP, all homo news, all the time it seems, pretty much the same as the NYT.

For such a small portion of the population, these deviants sure command a disproportionate slice of the news pie.


8 posted on 07/27/2006 7:47:19 AM PDT by Pox (If it's a Coward you are searching for, you need look no further than the Democrats.)
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To: SmithL
It is a shame that someone who wanted to serve his country is now unable to. He kept his private life private and who ever this source is needs to come forward and be a man and stop hiding.

Our country is wasting to much money. The money being wasted to train new people as mentioned in the article could be going for better uses. I believe people should be allowed to serve their country if they choose to do so and are fit mentally and physically. There was no reason for this guy to be kicked out. DADT needs to come to an end.

He choose to defend and represent his country unlike majority of these code-pinkos and other left wing liberal anti-troops nut jobs out there.
9 posted on 07/27/2006 7:49:00 AM PDT by FloridianBushFan (I support National Security. I SUPPORT HR4437 . Katherine Harris for Senate)
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To: FloridianBushFan
Perfectly said. We all bleed red for this country, not matter what faults or traits we have. His willingness to serve shouldn't overshadow the fact that he likes outies over innies.
10 posted on 07/27/2006 7:53:09 AM PDT by mnehring (Texas is no Joke! Perry 06)
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To: FloridianBushFan

I agree, it'
s shame this policy even exists. If someone is willing to support our country by serving in the military, it really shouldn't matter from which side of the plate they swing from...la


11 posted on 07/27/2006 7:53:10 AM PDT by TheSuaveOne
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To: ops33
"But the papers also give the reason for his dismissal."

Of course in the "diversity" centered corporate world of today this will be a badge of honor and guarantee for employment.

12 posted on 07/27/2006 7:56:02 AM PDT by guitar4jesus (Black, Conservative . . . and I vote!)
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To: SmithL

A decorated sergeant and Arabic language specialist

Some things are just more important than the War on Islamofacism. Thank God our priorities are straight.


13 posted on 07/27/2006 7:56:14 AM PDT by gcruse (http://gcruse.typepad.com)
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To: SmithL

If you're in a foxhole and taking rounds, you don't give a damn what the guy next to you does with his gun as long as he can shoot straight with his rifle.........


14 posted on 07/27/2006 7:56:37 AM PDT by Red Badger (Is Castro dead yet?........)
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To: SmithL
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.

That might be what the "don't ask don't tell policy" says, but the question here is whether the soldier in question engaged in homosexual acts, which it sounds like he did.

That being said, one might say that it is impossible to suppress one's sexual urges. The problem is that the Clinton administration wrote the policy that way and didn't change the UCMJ. If he engaged in homosexual acts while in the service he is eligible to be discharged.

15 posted on 07/27/2006 7:57:39 AM PDT by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: SmithL
Actually the law is not "don't ask, don't tell." The law states that homosexual activity is incompatible with good order and discipline, and mandates discharge of homosexuals. The DoD policy is not to ask questions so long as no one gives answers.
16 posted on 07/27/2006 8:01:46 AM PDT by JoeFromSidney (My book is out. Read excerpts at www.thejusticecooperative.com)
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To: SmithL

We NEED this guy! "Arabic language specialist"
We have kicked so many gays out of the military who were also Arabic language specialists and now we have a severe shortage of them for intercepting and translating messages that could save us from another 9/11 !


17 posted on 07/27/2006 8:01:57 AM PDT by buffyt (America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our people. Pres. George Bush)
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To: buffyt

"We NEED this guy! "Arabic language specialist" ..."

One needs to know the facts before making that statement. Who knows what Homo ACTUALLY did!!!


18 posted on 07/27/2006 8:04:38 AM PDT by TRY ONE (NUKE the unborn gay whales!)
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To: garyhope; Paradox

not really, my best friend is an arab language specialist, he seems to think that there are enough of them.


19 posted on 07/27/2006 8:07:17 AM PDT by absolootezer0 ("My God, why have you forsaken us.. no wait, its the liberals that have forsaken you... my bad")
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To: buffyt
We have kicked so many gays out of the military who were also Arabic language specialists and now we have a severe shortage of them for intercepting and translating messages that could save us from another 9/11

not really, once these guys are out, many of them go right back as contractors, or work for other fed agencies.
20 posted on 07/27/2006 8:11:37 AM PDT by absolootezer0 ("My God, why have you forsaken us.. no wait, its the liberals that have forsaken you... my bad")
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