During my time in the service, there was no way anyone would expose themselves as being gay in the military. Constant witch hunts were conducted trying to sniff out gays and lesbians in order to get them out of the Army. The objective was to "stay in the closet" and try to perform our duties without getting exposed.
Wow, how times have changed! This year the Don't Ask, Don't Tell saga became a headline. For an update on this issue check out the following:
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on Sep 20, 2011
President Obama signed the law that repealed "don't ask, don't tell" and officially certified this summer that it would not diminish readiness. But plenty of opposition still remains."It's a tragic day for America," said Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council. While gays and lesbians can now serve openly, there are still limits: All servicemen and women -- regardless of sexual orientation -- must continue to abide by strict standards of personal conduct, such as those pertaining to public displays of affection.
Marines Opposition Update on Dec 5, 2011
Marine Gen. James F. Amos, the face of opposition in the military to lifting the ban on gays serving openly, now acknowledges his concern has proven unfounded that repeal would undermine the war effort. In fact, he says, Marines have embraced the change. A Defense Department spokeswoman, Cynthia O. Smith, said implementation of the repeal of the gay ban is proceeding smoothly across the military.
What a surprise. Isn't it nice to know that gays are not a threat to military readiness? Whippee do-do!
