A US Army National Guard Chaplain is under investigation for violating “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” by allegedly “telling” a superior Chaplain that he was gay.

Aris Fokas is a United Church of Christ minister who joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 2003 at the age of 39.  Fokas has reportedly denied the disclosure, though he reportedly

declined to say anything about his sexual orientation other than to acknowledge he is single and has never been married.

He noted, too, that the United Church of Christ ordains openly gay and lesbian ministers, a denomination-wide policy since 1980.

In an apparent attempt to defend himself, Fokas says 

I’ve done nothing that would violate my ordination vows or compromise my position to be trusted by soldiers.

and the article includes multiple statements supporting the Chaplain’s work ethic and character.

With due respect to the Chaplain, such statements are irrelevant to the law in question.  What is relevant is whether or not he made the statement, which he denies.

It appears, however, that the Chaplain may have other reasons for the way he is defending himself.  He seems to be making the defense that even if he did say that, it shouldn’t matter:

In addition, [Fokas said] he will stand up for an end to “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

“Almost all of our military allies, notably Israel and Great Britain, have openly gay and lesbian soldiers serving without problems,” Fokas said. “There was consternation in Britain about what would happen if soldiers came out. But what happened is people went to work the next day and the world did not fall off its axis.”

Fokas said “don’t ask, don’t tell” has proven to be a dangerous policy because it gives cover to abusers.

“To frighten and intimidate someone,” he said, “all you have to say is, ‘Well, I heard you’re gay.”

This is an interesting contrast to the previous story in which some said Chaplains whose theologies find homosexuality immoral may be placed in an untenable position in being required to support a military policy allowing homosexuals ot serve openly.