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

Pleasantly surprised? Expecting something in the near future? You can take a lot away from that picture :lol:

 

Why can't men and women serve in the same unit, share the same facilities, sleeping quarters, etc?

Are we concerned that there may be intimate relationships? Are we concerned that a man may stare at a woman in the shower? Are we concerned that this may be disruptive?

If so, then I agree with the military prior to Clinton's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. Maybe we need to have four separate units...male, female, homosexual male, homosexual female.

The argument is that your sexual orientation shouldn't matter but what about the heterosexual who doesn't want to share a shower with a homosexual? Do they not have any rights?

 

Coup d’état !

o:

 

Indeed.

 

I knew Obama was gay...I KNEW it!

 

Couple of thoughts.

The combat arms communities of each service could easily operate without women. Support functions might be able to operate, but not without a significant recruiting effort above and beyond the already significant effort required.

Women have changed the face of the combat units they are in/around. It's a fact. Some don't like it, most have accepted it. In most cases I'd say effectiveness is the same as before. But integrating women into combat roles has more cost than benefit to the services. It's an EEO thing. Period. Dot. Doesn't make it wrong. But that's all it is. For the record, I have zero issues with women serving across the spectrum as long as the standards aren't adjusted to allow them to serve.

Openly gay members (pun intended) will impact the military in relation to the mission and culture of each unit. They will be readily and easily assimilated into support functions like medical, clerical, etc. They're already there in large numbers, just not openly. Logistics and mobility units will not have too much trouble because their numbers are so great in terms of people. But front line combat units will have internal problems for a long time. Most of the people in these units are relatively homogeneous in their makeup and they are not predisposed to accepting homosexuality.

Those who think that the times have changed and generation X or Next doesn't realy care are correct - but only in terms of the generalized public.

Elite or semi-elite front line units aren't made up of the generalized public. They don't share a generalized public's culture or viewpoints.

Sort of like how the elite (and highly published/read) university professors have absolutely no idea, in general, what normal people's lives are like. Insular and homogeneous cultures, self-regulating, self-selecting, self-governing, and allergic to rapid and significant change.

In general.

As for don't ask, don't tell - get rid of it. Cali has nailed it. The vast majority of it's impact is in abuse by cowards or flakes.

Either let gays serve, or don't. And for the next four years, it's clear which side of that fence the administration will sit.

 

I always kinda figured university professors sat around in wicker chairs in the sun room, wearing pith helmets and knee-high socks while they sketch the landscape and sip cognac. :wink:

 

Well, I've worked with and for elite university professors for a decade (singular) and I stand by what I know from my experience. And note I said "highly published/read". I'm not talking about Dr. Boudreaux, the associate professor of ag engineering at LSU.

And the folks I'm talking about don't hunt eek, very few would waste time fishing dis, and think the Boy Scouts are an American version of the Nazi youth.

I don't confess to know who or what you know, Red, but just because we have different experiences doesn't mean you're automatically right.

Wasn't the point anyway - I was just illustrating...

 

"Elite Professors" being out of touch with reality... Ha!

It's like you are describing a caraciture from a bad 80's school days movie. DO these professors hang out with the snooty, vengeful Dean as well?

I kid, I kid...

Anyway, about the military and gays, have you ever actually seen Navy chicks? Just sayin... Long time on those boats...