Tag Archives: dadt

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Misconstrued by Media

Media articles and reports continue to highlight the common misunderstanding about the policies, rules, and perspectives about homosexuality in the military.

For example, in discussing the history of homosexual policy in the military, an Associated Press report recently said

In the end, Congress agreed to let gays serve only if their sexual orientation remained secret.

While it is a common belief, the statement is flatly wrong.

The law Congress passed banned homosexuals from military service without qualification.  The “secret” part, more commonly known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” was the Read more

Air Force Might Oppose Homosexual Nurse’s Return

In the other case on DADT, former flight nurse Maj Margaret Witt, who was discharged under DADT, has claimed she can return to service while her case is appealed.  The DoJ is appealing the ruling in her favor, but did not request a stay on the ruling while it is appealed.  The ACLU has represented Witt.

The Air Force, for its part, said no request was made because they have had no indication Witt wanted to be reinstated, making a request for stay moot.  Should she begin an application, they would have a response, and might subsequently seek a stay.

DoD’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Report to be Publicized

The Department of Defense’s report on how to implement the proposed repeal of the law banning homosexuals from military service will reportedly be “released in full” next week, on November 30th — one day prior to the original date for which the report was supposed to be delivered to the Secretary of Defense.

The fact that the military’s entire emphasis has been how to react Read more

Gay and Marijuana in the Military: Same difference?

Is marijuana the next DADT?  The increasing (state) legality of the otherwise (federally) illegal drug indicates a growing trend of “normalizing” marijuana usage, and it is not going unnoticed by the military.

An official Air Force news release at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, notes marijuana is “not welcome here,” despite its sometimes legality in the surrounding state.

Schriever commander Colonel Wayne Montheith wrote a memo noting, among other points,

Marijuana, prescribed or otherwise obtained, may not be used, possessed, distributed, nor introduced on Schriever AFB, a Federal military [installation].

The presence of marijuana on Schriever AFB [is] a risk to good order and discipline and to the Air Force mission.

The policy applies to any person on Schriever, including civilians — who could be banned from the base for bringing even state-approved marijuana with them.

In a similar vein to the federalist treatment of homosexual marriage, Read more

Civilian Dan Choi Protests in Uniform, Again

According to news reports, former Army Lt Dan Choi (once again) chained himself to the White House perimeter fence, resulting in arrest by the park police.  Rather than walking away in cuffs, he apparently chose to “go limp.”  Last time Choi did the same thing he was actually still an officer in the Army.

Choi was discharged last summer under DADT, and he recently tried to re-enlist during the 8-day injunction of the law banning homosexuals from serving in the military.

The next time Choi tries to sign up with the military, it should show him the door, regardless of the status of DADT.  He apparently lacks the strength of character to Read more

Supreme Court Deals DADT Repeal Death Blow?

Despite President Obama’s continuing assurances about the pending repeal of the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” there are already murmurings the repeal rider to the Defense Authorization Act is effectively dead.  Now, the Supreme Court may have put another nail in the coffin of repeal, and it wasn’t their recent decision to uphold the appellate court’s stay, which allows DADT to be enforced while the trial continues.

It was Justice Kagan’s non-participation in the ruling:  Read more

FRC Criticizes Soon-to-be-Released DADT Survey

A few months after advocates for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” criticized the Defense Department’s survey as biased against homosexuals, the Family Research Council has also openly criticized the same survey from the opposite side of the issue.

One of the FRC’s main criticisms is that the Department of Defense never asked members or their families (the two survey groups) if DADT should be repealed.  From the beginning, military leadership has emphasized the survey presumed it would be.

Recently, news reports “leaked” the “results” that the survey

found that most U.S. troops and their families don’t care whether gays are allowed to serve openly and think the policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell” could be done away with…

As the FRC report notes, the surveys asked no such questions.  However, it is possible to arrive at that conclusion by, as the FRC says, “manipulating” Read more

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