Name and rank protected by request.
Dana,
OK, I’ve been listening… and concerning homosexuality in the military, I don’t think a lot of listeners understand why service members are in favor of leaving current policies in place! I thought about this all night, and sitting here this AM I am compelled to add my voice to the discussion. I hope that I am able to articulate the truth that I know.
My wife and I were asked by DoD & the office of SECDEF to participate in a survey that was followed up with interviews. The Army is taking this issue VERY seriously! The lives and well being of Soldiers could depend on it. I will tell you the same thing I told them… Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) protects, preserves, and ensures the rights and well being of service members! Repealing DADT would be detrimental to the service and the combat effectiveness of today’s military. I’ve heard several people say… Gays should be able to serve… GUESS WHAT…. THEY DO!!! I heard one protester say, “I’m gay and I’m professional… I would be the same as a Soldier”. Great! You can do just like I did 15 years ago and be in Basic Training in 2 weeks… no problem! You can be as butch as Rosie O’Donnell or as flamboyant as Valentino Liberace and serve in the United States Military… NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!!
And that is the crux of my letter and my frustration with civilians who “Don’t Get It”! DADT ensures that NO QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED!!! The United States Military is not a platform for activists to push an agenda… we are the protectors of this nation… bottom line. Dana, our uniform is our designator… Name, Rank, Service… that is all anyone needs to know about a service member… everything else we freely give up for the privilege to SERVE!!! If you can’t make that sacrifice then service is not for you! The Army has 7 core values that we live by: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless-Service, Honor, Integrity, & Personal Courage (LDRSHIP). These are more than mere words, they are the discipline of our daily lives, they define who we are! Notice what is missing… Sexual Orientation! That’s right your color, race, religion, socio- economic background, personal values, and sexual orientation don’t matter in this military. That’s why we don’t ask, it is irrelevant. When one steps out and proclaims something outside of our core values, they are putting themselves before the team and they are compromising the selfless nature of service. Some might say my comments sound like robotic-brain washed military mumbo-jumbo, but that is the difference between those who serve and those who talk about those who serve. Repealing DADT will compromise the values I have known all my adult life… my service defines who I am and at the end of the day… that is enough!
May God Bless You and Keep Our Nation Secure.
R/Y
