The Visor

Pentagon considering lifting ban on homosexuals in military

October 29, 2009

Jay Hillery

For some men and women, keeping a secret means keepings their jobs. For nearly two decades, homosexuals serving in the military have had to sacrifice their self-identity. The Clinton administration implemented the DADT Policy in 1993: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. This policy was an effort by former President Bill Clinton to keep his campaign promise of repealing the ban on homosexuals serving within the military. Clinton’s attempt to change the social workings of the military was met with strong opposition. Both the Pentagon and Congress resented the President’s meddling in the workings of the
military.

The President and Congress eventually came to a compromise about the policy on homosexuals serving in the military when Congress passed 10 United States Code 654. This code allowed homosexuals to serve in the U.S. military, but there was a catch: they could not admit their sexual orientation. The stated purpose of the law was to protect unit cohesion and combat effectiveness but its effectiveness was never proven by scientific studies or evidence. Many have argued that
this policy is blatantly homophobic and not based on any actual fact.

Nonetheless, no president has tried to overturn DADT since its creation, until now. There may be a light at the end of the tunnel for homosexual activists, however. Recently an editorial came out from the Joint Force Quarterly (JFQ) by Om Prakash,
in which Prakash openly criticized DADT because of its cost to the military. If a soldier ever volunteers a statement
of homosexuality or is found committing a
homosexual act, the soldier is discharged
from the military. This cripples the military
severely: there have been about 12,500
soldiers discharged because of sexual orientation
so far. The effect of the ban on
homosexuals serving in the military has cost
roughly a battalion (10,000 soldiers) of
soldiers.

During his campaign, President Barack Obama promised to overturn DADT. So why hasn’t President Obama simply picked up a pen and written an executive order like Truman did with the desegregation of the military? Unfortunately, during Clinton’s second term he attempted to overturn the ban with an executive order, but Congress enacted a clause written within the bill that gave Congress the sole right to change the DADT policy.

However, the issue has been raised again, and this time new evidence will be used, pro-ban and anti- ban lift. One of the most compelling studies has undoubtedly been the 2006 Zogby poll. This poll showed
that 73 percent of all troops felt comfortable with homosexual serving in the military, while only five percent reported being “very” uncomfortable in the presence of a homosexual soldier. No doubt in the future the military will publish further findings that Congress
will consider in their decision on the future of homosexuals serving in the military.

Voices in the Crowd
Q: Do you support the Pentagon’s ban of homosexuals in the military?

A: “Yes. I firmly support former President Clinton’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy. There should not be openly gay men or women in the military.”
— Scott Kopp, Campus Minister

A: “No. I believe Barry Goldwater said it best: ‘You don’t have to be straight to shoot straight.’”
— Shamir Brice ’11

A: “No. Any person willing to make the ultimate sacrifice
for his or her country, regardless of sexuality, should be able to do so.”
— David Sutter ’10

A: “No, I do not support the gay ban. Gays should have
the same rights as everyone else.”
— Carly Bowser ’12

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