An article in the Christian Post a few weeks ago discussed the accusation that the US military has been shaping the public perception of the post-DADT environment by allowing the media to cover “positive” stories, while suppressing negative ones: 

The public’s perception of the military since the repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT) less than a year ago is being manipulated by the U.S. Department of Defense, says the director of a chaplain alliance group.

The military department is censoring opposing views to portray a trouble-free time after the repeal…according to Chaplain (Col.) Ron Crews, executive director for the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty.

The story uses as an example the recent non-story-story of Chaplain Wagoner, in which he was portrayed as being “supportive” of a homosexual ceremony.  He later said that portrayal was inaccurate.

Chaplain Crews said the situation is simple:  If you agree with repeal, you can speak with the media.  If not, you can’t:

“If you express difficulties as a chaplain you are specifically ordered by your commanders that you do not speak to the press about your concerns about the repeal process,” he said. “I think there is a double standard. If you are in favor of the repeal and how things are going you can speak publicly about it. If you have problems with it you cannot speak publicly about it.”

Crews raises several issues that have been discussed here before, most notably emphasizing the real reason there have been “no issues” is because several vague “lines” have yet to be crossed, like a homosexual “couple” being refused service at a chapel-sponsored marriage seminar.

In the end, however, it is not that there haven’t been problems (as the public perception may be), but that they’ve been addressed at low levels to “do right” by the military, even by those who oppose homosexuality in the military:

“I’ve come to the conclusion that we have been doing our job really well in terms of trying to diffuse potential problems by working with chaplains and commanders at the lowest level,” he said. “Many of us have been involved in negotiating some situations with our chaplains and commanders with the understanding that we are all focused on serving our military community with grace and dignity in doing what is right for the soldiers, marines, airmen, and reserves.”

As Crews notes, even the simple fact that problems may have occurred, even if they were resolved, has not been widely reported by the military.