We've Asked and Told
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Michael Mullen sent out the clarion call heard ‘round the world: end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Hooray, it’s over! There’s no more reason to be upset over policy that has an ugly, divisive history! Not by a long shot. Indeed, the spark of energy given to the debate will morph into a violent maelstrom once the dust settles and a new precedent is set. Opponents, potentially led by John McCain (remember him?), are already sharpening their blades . A bevy of hearings, reviews and chaos will soon follow. This new policy stance from the military top brass should be cheered, applauded and welcomed, but the fight is far from over.
A brief review of military history indicates that homosexual servicemen and women were not rejected or discharged until 1942 when regulations began to appear noting a “distinction” between “normal” and gay draftees. This rule would ebb and flow, however, as the demand for troops increased and decreased. The tragic murder of Allen Schindler, on October 27, 1992, marked an escalation in the harassment gays, lesbians and bisexuals routinely faced in the military. President Clinton’s campaign promise to allow all individuals to serve in the military regardless of their sexual orientation was supposed to provide a response, but instead codified discrimination. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue, Don’t Harass (DADT) became a mandate in 1993 prohibiting openly gay, lesbian or bisexual individuals from serving in the military. Seen largely as a compromise between President Clinton and Congress, DADT eliminated the pre-enlistment question regarding homosexuality. So long as servicemen and women did not engage in “homosexual activity” or disclose information regarding their sexual preference, they would be allowed to serve. More than 13,000 servicemen and women have been discharged since DADT’s inception. Within the past five years 800 mission-critical troops have been discharged, including Arabic and Farsi linguists. The impact on America’s armed forces is obvious, and is exacerbated because recommendation for discharge is at the discretion of a military officer. Enforcement is not consistent, and with a reduction in discharges (from an all-time high of 1,273 in 2001 to 787 in 2003 for instance) since the beginning of the War on Terror, many believe a double standard exists.
There is a double standard. Thousands of individuals have been and will continue to be discharged from the military because of this policy. Men and women will be discharged from protecting America due to their own sexual prerogative. These soldiers, patriots and heroes won’t be discharged for committing an illegal act. By no means are they inadequate for the task at hand; these soldiers don’t even want to draw attention upon themselves. They simply want to serve their country. They will fight for America, and many may, unfortunately, die defending America. Many servicemen and women have sacrificed everything for America. We can not turn our backs on them now.
DADT hurts America. Fiscally, the GAO has reported that it has cost the American tax payer $190 million to retrain and recruit replacements of those discharged due to DADT. Furthermore, the critical combat troop levels around the World necessitate aggressive recruitment, not reduction. Yet, the Defense Department will soon release figures detailing the casualties of DADT that have been discharged during the first year of President Obama’s presidency.
What will a post DADT military look like? If other NATO member countries serve as any indicator, America will continue to host the greatest military force on Earth. Studies completed in Australia, Great Britain and Canada have shown that there have been no adverse effects on enrollment, retention or troop morale. Most arguments given by those in support of DADT are childish. Ranging from “fear of showering and sleeping next to a homosexual” to “we’ll have to build new barracks for them to sleep in” provide no substance to the debate. The “destabilization effect” also makes little sense considering that as many as 36,000 active-duty soldiers could be hiding their true identity due to fear of prosecution. Imagine what devastation would occur should those soldiers face discharge.
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue, Don’t Harass. Synonymous with secrecy, lies and discrimination, this policy has hindered America’s military for 17 years. DADT should not be a political agenda. This should not be a campaign platform. No Republican or Democrat should gain political profit from this issue. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue, Don’t Harass should, instead, take its place on the shelf of horrible, horrible American policy. Repealing the law will highlight just how far we, as a people, have progressed.
