[Vision2020] Most Troops Say Gays Are No Problem

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of the Army Times.

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Survey: Most troops say gays are no problem
By Andrew Tilghman - Staff writer

Working alongside gays is not a big deal for the vast majority of today’s
troops, according to a Pentagon study released Tuesday.

And repealing the military’s current ban on open service by gays poses
little overall risk to military readiness, unit cohesion and troop
retention, the study group concluded.

Many troops’ attitudes were reflected by one special operations soldier
cited in the report: “We have a gay guy [in the unit]. He’s big, he’s mean
and he kills lots of bad guys. Nobody cared that he was gay,” the soldier
told investigators.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates asked a study group in February to assess
how a potential repeal — either through the Congress or the courts — would
affect the force.

Overall, about 50 to 55 percent of troops said repealing the current
“don’t ask, don’t tell” policy would have a mixed effect or no effect at
all. Some 15 percent to 20 percent said the change would be positive. And
30 percent said repeal would have negative consequences.

Concerns about negative impact were higher among Marines, at 43 percent.
Specifically among Marine infantry, or combat arms, units, some 58 percent
said the change would be for the worse.

“We heard many service members express the view that ‘open’ homosexuality
would lead to widespread and overt displays of effeminacy among men,
homosexual promiscuity, harassment and unwelcome advances within units,”
the study group said.

But those concerns were “exaggerated and not consistent with the reported
experiences of many service members,” according to the report.

For example, some 69 percent of service members say they have already
worked with someone they believed to be gay. Of those, 92 percent said it
had no negative impact on their “ability to work together.”

And the report estimates that only about 15 percent of gays currently
serving in the military would want to reveal their sexual orientation to
everyone in their unit.

The survey is based on responses from some 115,000 troops and 44,200
military spouses. More than a half million questionnaires were distributed
last summer.

The study group, led by Pentagon General Counsel Jeh Johnson and Army Gen.
Carter Ham, also visited various military bases and held town hall-style
meetings with service members.

The working group recommended against creating separate bathroom, shower
facilities or sleeping areas for gays, saying that would be a “logistical
nightmare” and also would evoke the “separate but equal” treatment once
forced on black Americans before the civil rights movement.

Nevertheless, commanders will be able to deal with billeting or berthing
situations on a case-by-case basis, the report said.

Congress may vote on repeal later this year. Meanwhile, the federal courts
are reviewing a judge’s ruling in October that declared the ban on gays
serving openly is unconstitutional.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown