Gays in the military

Defense secretary Robert Gates spoke at Duke University recently, urging the “best and brightest” to “step out of your comfort zone” and join the military. I thought that sounded fine until Gates bwhegan dragging his feet when a judge (temporarily) struck down the military’s don’t ask, don’t tell policy.

Allowing gays to serve openly “is an action that requires careful preparation and a lot of training,” Gates said. “It has enormous consequences for our troops.”

Bullshit, plain and simple. Gays have served in the military as long as there have been troops. Many have them have proven their valor and loyalty. Some have paid the ultimate price for their country, yet these soldiers and sailors must be dishonest to their fellow servicemembers about who they are. This is simply wrong.

I served with gays in the Navy and guess what? I’m not traumatized in the least. I don’t know why people like Gates make this into a big deal.

In boot camp there were rumors that a mysterious “Phantom Ball-Grabber” made the rounds at night. If the Ball Grabber existed he never bothered me. On my ship I knew guys who were almost certainly gay. I think everyone knew. So what? Because we were all professionals it really didn’t matter. I could give a flying flip what these guys did on their off time as long as when the shit hit the fan in combat they would be there. And as these guys were professionals like me, I trusted that they would.

The truth is that most sailors want their fellow sailors to develop amnesia the moment liberty ends. It’s the “whatever happens onshore stays onshore” mentality. Many of the straight men I served with – those who had wives or girlfriends – seemed to forget their vows and promptly indulge in all manner of debauchery whenever we dropped anchor in a foreign land. I’m sure the gay men did their thing, too, and a mutual understanding developed that these secrets would never be shared.

That’s how I saw it, anyway. And I can’t imagine the other services would have nearly the close-quarters issue that the Navy does. Hell, if the Navy can make it work having women serve alongside men aboard combat ships, it can make it work for gays, too. Because they’re already there, just like they’re in our neighborhoods and they’re in our offices and they’re everywhere else, too.

If Gates and the Pentagon want the armed forces to be more representative of society they need to end this don’t ask, don’t tell charade. The service and sacrifices put forth by our gay servicemembers deserve nothing less.