At military bases across the nation, servicemen are undergoing special training to prepare for the final end to the 17-year-old “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy against gay and lesbian individuals serving openly in the military.
From Washington D.C. to San Diego’s own Camp Pendleton, members of the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force are being presented with anticipated scenarios for a post-DADT world, such as troops holding hands or kissing off-duty, participating in Gay Pride events or even simply joking around in the locker room. Above all, the government hopes to instill in the nation’s servicemen a tolerance and respect that will transcend preconceived notions and old bias and create an atmosphere of acceptance for gay members of all military branches.
The Marines expect to complete the training process by June 1, after which President Obama, the Secretary of Defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have mandated a safety review and sixty-day waiting period before putting last year’s end to the DADT policy into full effect.
Officials for the different branches of the U.S. military are aware that individual beliefs may influence troops’ reaction to the new policy; however, the a briefing for the Marine Corps battalions explain that “The policy is about adherence to orders and behavior, and not about beliefs.”
Any soldiers that cannot accept gays in the service do not deserve to wear the uniform. they should be discharged with a less then honorable discharge, depending on the particular situation.
Long ago I was in the service as a LT. We knew we had a pair of gay officers. But nobody would talk much about it. I did get to talk with one of them and he said it was horrible how every day he had to hide who he was, lie about his love life, have his sister come witth him to a couple dances and some parrties that the commanding General had, introducing his sister as his GF.