Gays in the Military: Yay or Nay?

The recent statement from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, stating that "homosexuality is immoral" has set off widespread debate about why gays are not allowed to be open about their sexual preference if they wish to serve in the military. The military's current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy states that gays cannot disclose their sexual preference and cannot commit homosexual acts while serving in the military. If they violate these rules, they risk being discharged from the military.

General Pace's statement was widely viewed as degrading to gays and lesbians by the homosexual community, and General Pace was quick to apologize for his misunderstood statement. However, this has several people questioning why homosexuals are not allowed to open about their preference in the military. Some, as General Pace has already stated, believe the reason is because it is immoral and compare it to adultery, which is also not allowed in the military. Others believe that gays and lesbians should not be allowed to serve in the military at all. Most of the gay and lesbian community want the military to get rid of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy and allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.

However, not one person has publicy stated the real reason for the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which was created under the Clinton Administration. This reason alone should convince most readers that the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy is not a anti-homosexual policy and should remain in effect for years to come. However, I know there will be critics to my reasoning and some will brand me a homo-phobe or a gay basher, which I am neither. I have friends who are homosexual and I am kind to them, although I do not share their desires. I respect their decision and do not interfere with their choices. However, that's another story. To further understand the reasoning behind "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," let's take a look at different policies throughout the military regarding males and females at first.

First, let's begin at Basic Training, Basic Combat Training, or Boot Camp, whichever you prefer. At Basic Combat Training for the Army, while males and females serve in the same platoons, they are not allowed to have relationships. Doing so is grounds for non-judicial punishment, you are disobeying an order. It's rare that a soldier will receive an Article 15 or a court-martial for this, however a soldier may be given extra duty for a while as an attempt to stop the relationship.

In the Marine Corps Boot Camp, males and females never see each other. All females are sent to Paris Island, SC, and the males sent to the Island are on a separate part of the island segregated from the females. Relationships are not given a chance to exist with the Marine Corps Boot Camp.

Let's move on to the field training and combat areas of the military service. While in combat and in the field, males sleep in tents or other quarters with other males and females with females. Relationships are allowed between servicemen and servicewomen, of course, however certain rules must be followed. An enlisted servicemember cannot date or form an intimate relationship with an officer. You are not allowed to date or form an intimate relationship with someone in your direct chain of command. Married personnel are not allowed to commit adultery in any form (any kind of sex with someone other than their spouse). Finally, most public displays of affection (kissing, hugging, holding hands), while in uniform is usually discouraged.

Most of you are now asking "What is the reason for all of these rules?" The simple answer: Mission is priority #1 and breaking any of the above rules distracts from the mission or training. Enlisted and Officers cannot form intimate relationships so that no one can say "Well, he/she used his/her rank to persuade me to do this." The same rule applies when someone is in your direct chain of command. If males and females formed relationships in Basic Training, service personnel would be distracted from training and might fail to meet the standards because their focus would be on their relationship and not training. If males and females shared the same tents, the mission might not get accomplished because soldiers were too interested in doing other things than completing the mission.

Now, getting back to the topic of homosexuals and lesbians openly serving in the military. Allow male soldiers to have relationships with other male soldiers in Basic Training, and you've got a distraction from training. The same rule applies to homosexuals at basic training, no relationships. There is no discrimination in the rule, however, one may argue the punishment for breaking this rule is discriminatory. The punishment for having a homosexual relationship at basic training is being discharged from the military. As I said before, most of the time at Basic Training, a punishment for having a heterosexual relationship is usually only Extra Duty.

Let's go to the field now and say we're in combat. Two male soldiers have a homosexual relationship with each other and are in the same tent. This relationship distracts from the mission at hand. I'm not saying that the homosexual couple can't control themselves, but after 6 - 18 months (the standard rotations of troops in combat), some feelings are going to occur. We're all human. It would happen the same way if males and females were allowed to share the same tents. This distraction could wind up getting someone killed unnecessarily. The one thing that no American would want to happen.

In conclusion, let's not condemn General Pace for his misguided choice of words, but join together and support our troops, homosexual or not. They are the ones defending America during her greatest time of need. Remember, with the military, the mission always comes first, and to complete that mission, we all must make sacrifices, the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy is one minor sacrifice compared to the rest.