A decorated sergeant and Arabic language specialist was dismissed from the U.S. Army under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, though he says he never admitted being gay and his accuser was never identified.
Bleu Copas, 30, told The Associated Press he is gay, but said he was "outed" by a stream of anonymous e-mails to his superiors in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.
http://www.365gay.com/...
If you have ever read the book, "Conduct Unbecoming", you'll know that the GLBT community has served this country since the Revolution. If you haven't read the book, please do. Gays and lesbians go to the Service, where they are asked to fight and die for this country as all soldiers are, but they are also asked to hide a large part of what makes them an individual, on pain of ridicule, harassment, discharge and sometimes even murder.
It was unfortunate that a Democrat President, Bill Clinton, in trying to make things better for the GLBT service members presented this abomination of a policy and had it written into law. It hasn't changed anything for those servicemembers who still have to serve with a noose hanging over them.
One of the big losses to the military from DADT has been foreign language experts, in many cases those experts who are fluent in Middle Eastern languages. Whether thru prejudice or perception, these soldiers have been targeted for dismissal when we need them most, leaving the already mostly Anglish speaking military reliant on third party translators, generally civilians, from foreign countries who are themselves put in serious danger by helping us.
Not being able to speak the languages of the country you are occupying is of course a serious problem.
Also, DADT does not leave much room for quarter. Accusers can remain safely hidden from the accused during questioning and discharge proceedings. There aren't proper channels for appeal. Bias against the GLBT community in certain areas of the military remains extremely strong.
Of course there are exceptions. Soldiers who have good relationships with COs and/or in extremely important or favored positions have had their sexual preferences overlooked, the accusers told to get stuffed. This in some ways makes DADT even worse, for it not applied consistently. Soldiers have also been kep in service until a particular crisis passes, continuing in harms way, they tossed away like garage rags when the crisis has passed.
The policy is becoming "a very effective weapon of vengeance in the armed forces" said Steve Ralls, a spokesman for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a Washington-based watchdog organization that counseled Copas and is working to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
Sgt. Copas said he accepted the honorable discharge to end the ordeal, to avoid lying about his sexuality and risking a perjury charge, and to keep friends from being targeted.
"It is unfair. It is unjust," he said. "Even with the policy we have, it should never have happened."
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has deprived our Armed Forces of the skills, talent, experience and commitment of nearly 11,000 personnel discharged under the law.
It has deprived us of untold numbers of young Americans who have chosen not to serve or who have cut short their careers in the military because of the ban. The ban demands self-denial far beyond the already substantial sacrifices expected of uniformed personnel and their families.
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" forces gay military personnel to live a lie as a condition of service. The law denies others the opportunity to know and learn from their gay colleagues.
http://www.sldn.org/...