Obama to End 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

From FOX...

This definitely has the potential to be an explosive national issue. Thoughts?

 

Agreed Red! :thumb:

I think the economy is a little bigger issue than this. :lol:

 

Agreed about how there are bigger issues at hand, but I'm not sure about other services, but the Marines still don't allow women in combat units.

I think if homosexuals are allowed to serve openly, it's not going to be that big of a deal. It's certainly not going to be the stereotype that some people might envision, like a guy running around wearing leather chaps and a pink boa, holding an M4. It would probably fall under equal opportunity, where if there's discrimination, a person can go to their EO officer and file a complaint. I also think the culture, at least of men-only combat units, is going to stay the way it is for a long time, and homosexuals still aren't going to openly advertise their orientation. But I'm confident that eventually, Obama is going to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

 

This is correct. The conditions in which females are serving the front lines are in support, not assignment. 2 female soldiers both NG and full time have received the Silver Star for their support roles on the front lines.

Don't ask, don't tell has become more of a rule for abuse then not. For those not wanting to fight, just gotta say they are the gay blade. Ticket home. With an open policy, no ticket home. Serve bitch. Now if we can just find a way to keep the flood of pregnant females on the front lines, these wars will end sooner then thought.

Like red sed earlier, this will not become an impact issue and the services will drive the discussion along with the rules that apply. My guess is that there is a probability that proclaiming your gayness will prevent you from getting in to begin with. Salty himself will be the driving force on that policy!

 

There are enlisted folks and then there are officers. They are not on equal footing, including how they bunk. Consider this:

http://www.palmcenter.org/press/dadt/releases/military_enlistment_of_felons_has_doubled

Perhaps enlisted folks need to consider whether they'd be more uncomfortable bunking next to an openly gay person or a convicted felon. Another key consideration is for enlisted people who find out that a unit mate is openly gay and who have serious issues with homosexuality, will that change or hamper their ability to trust or do their job without thought? You can't exactly quit the military because you don't like your co-workers.

This is from a former Marine Recon Officer:

As far as women being integrated, I don't think it's gone as well as some might think. How many serve in any of the elite units?

 

Absolutely right. In this case, politicians will make the policies, officers will refine it, and enlisted men (staff NCOs and NCOs) will enforce it. Officers, most of whom live with their families out in town or live in their own room in officer quarters, will not have it the same as the privates, PFCs, and lance corporals who have to share a room with one, two, sometimes three other guys. If one of them is an open homosexual, at first he'll probably be shunned, if not outright beat up (although physical assaults would be in the vast minority of reactions). That's why I said that in combat units where it's men only, any homosexual will probably still hide his orientation, regardless of whether or not he's allowed to make it known.

I'm sure people would get around to accepting it, and if it's known that a certain guy is a homosexual, I'm sure most people would judge him on his ability to do his job, not his sexuality. If it got to be a problem and the guy was offensively open about it, the other guys could use the same equal opportunity avenue.

It's not just the elite units. Women are not allowed to serve in conventional combat units like infantry or artillery. They certainly aren't allowed in elite units, nearly all of which are infantry-based. The nature of the current war is that women in logistical jobs sort of stumble upon combat because their convoys are attacked and they have to defend themselves.