Sexual Orientation & The Military

[Zakuvia]

It's a simplistic overreaction. "Hey, that guy's gay and he's around nothing but a bunch of burly men. He's gonna rape 'em, or turn 'em sissy or somethin'."

The Army as an organization is a meritocratic system that rewards and encourages good work on and off the field. The people who run the Army, on the other hand, are human beings...biased, and somewhat stupid. The big fear was of flamboyant, cross-dressing homosexuals embarrassing the overarchingly heterosexual US military, when in fact there are about zero percent of those types of homosexuals who actually condone any type of violence, let alone the rough-and-tumble lifestyle of any Armed Service. The fact of the matter is that most homosexuals who wish to join the military are just about identical in personality to their heterosexual counterparts. DADT simply doesn't work because of the fallibility of man. Eventually something will slip. It's what's gotten DADT in so much trouble.

[Kim Jong-ilia]

So if this what it is like in the US military, what is it like in other militaries like, I dunno, maybe the Australian military, or the British military or whatever. I don't think they are all exactly the same, as said in the first post, some militaries don't even allow gays.

[Allanea]

Here's what actual military experts have to say on the matter:

Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Shalikashvili (Ret.)[19] and former Senator and Secretary of Defense William Cohen[20] spoke against the policy publicly in early January 2007: "I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces," General Shalikashvili wrote. "Our military has been stretched thin by our deployments in the Middle East, and we must welcome the service of any American who is willing and able to do the job."[21]

Most world militaries also allow gay people to serve in their armed forces without incident, as demonstrated here.

[Dazchan]

So if this what it is like in the US military, what is it like in other militaries like, I dunno, maybe the Australian military, or the British military or whatever. I don't think they are all exactly the same, as said in the first post, some militaries don't even allow gays.

To my knowledge, both the UK and Australian defence forces allow gays without forcing them back into the closet. Neither suffers problems with cohesiveness.

[Calvinsjoy]

Served for over 20 years in U.S. armed forces. Was never on an installation/base/post that did not have its percentage of gay members serving - until they were found out. They were in all specialties and ranks. The only "anti" argument that seemed to make some sense was in the 80s when the AIDS crisis became full-blown. At that time it seemed to be predominantly (at least in the US population) a gay disease. the argument in that case was that because the military in a time of conflict has a closed (self-sustaining) blood supply system, the risks were unacceptable.

That resulted in routine, regular and ongoing HIV testing of all members.

[Ayumutopia]

Didn't seem to do those Spartans much harm. Though they musn't have had hard opponents considering the retail shop Argos managed to survive and rule an entire city state.

[Kyronea]

It upsets people because they think that the NATURAL way of living is one man, one women. When you start throwing in two men or two women you start messing with people's traditions. Nobody likes having their routines screwed with.

Oh those poor babies, having to deal with the reality that their views are utter tripe...how horrible for them!

They can suck it up and deal with it.

[Dyakovo]

Quotin' the Bible

There's a big source of the problem. People who think it's OK to use scripture to justify a governmental policy when the government in question is not in any way, shape, or form a theocracy, no matter how much some people want to make it so.

Exactly

Do you believe in God?

Nope

[Dyakovo]

Homosexuality fucks up unit cohesion. Not as much as women in the unit do, but homosexuals still damage morale. You have to remember that the majority of people in the US military at least are conservatively inclined and many take great offense to homosexuality.

Are people in the US military really THAT fascist?

Some of them are

[Grays Harbor]

*disclaimer - I haven't managed to wade through all 7 pages of this yet, so this is not meant as a response to anybody in particular, a response to a specific post, any post somebody may have considered making, or a post somebody had thought about considering to make*

I can't speak for everybody I served with, but having spent 16 years on active duty and in the reserves both as an enlisted man and as an officer, I have to say that as long as somebody performs their duties as a soldier, I don't give a good damn about who they care to bunk with. That is none of my business, nor should it be anybody elses. A gay soldier is still a soldier, same as every other soldier, and when it comes down to the brass tacks, that is all that matters.

[Brijesnica]

Its not right in morale,religious,political....... ways and i think homosexuality should be outlawed and banned

[Grays Harbor]

Its not right in morale,religious,political....... ways and i think homosexuality should be outlawed and banned

Did you mean "morale", or were you looking for "moral"? Quite a difference between the two. And if you did indeed intend "morale", I have to say that when I was an Infantry Officer, it never hurt my morale. I was more concerned with the less important issues such as

A.) Can they handle their weapon effectively?
B.) Can they follow orders?
C.) Can they be counted on in a combat situation?
D.) Can they function effectively as a soldier?

Its the little things that count, you know.

[Brijesnica]

Its not right in morale,religious,political....... ways and i think homosexuality should be outlawed and banned

Did you mean "morale", or were you looking for "moral"? Quite a difference between the two. And if you did indeed intend "morale", I have to say that when I was an Infantry Officer, it never hurt my morale. I was more concerned with the less important issues such as

A.) Can they handle their weapon effectively?
B.) Can they follow orders?
C.) Can they be counted on in a combat situation?
D.) Can they function effectively as a soldier?

Its the little things that count, you know.

he cant die as a shehid

[Mt Id]

he cant die as a shehid

wtf?

[Brijesnica]

he cant die as a shehid

wtf?

a soldier that falls in combat and his sins get earased

[Brijesnica]

he cant die as a shehid

wtf?

Martyrdom

[Mt Id]

he cant die as a shehid

wtf?

Martyrdom

I got that. the "wtf" was for where the hell did that come from? We weren't talking about dying and martyrs.

[Prizea]

Are people in the US military really THAT fascist?

Some of them are

Fascism began as glorification of the military. So if any governmental body contained fascists, it would probably be the military.

[The Holy Therns]

That's some massive gravedigging, hon.