The Infidel
EVIL CONSERVATIVE
(AP) CAMP PENDLETON, California (AP) Marines fighting in Afghanistan will begin undergoing training to prepare for the repeal of the military's ban on openly gay troops, and most will have participated in the mandatory classes before they return home, a senior U.S. Marine general in the country said Thursday.
Maj. Gen. Richard Mills told reporters in a teleconference call from Helmand province that Marines coming off the battlefield will undergo formal classes, discussion groups and "extensive" training to make sure each individual understands the new rules.
It was the first time the Marines Corps has revealed specific details on how it plans to train troops for the repeal of "don't ask don't tell" policy, which will allow gays to serve openly in the U.S. military. The military's smallest branch was the most resistant to the change, according to a Pentagon survey of 400,000 active duty and reservists taken before Congress approved lifting the ban.
But since the vote, Marine Corps leaders have vowed to lead the way in implementing the new policy. The Pentagon has distributed training guidelines to top officials of each service branch and ordered them to report on their progress every two weeks starting March 1.
Mills, who has reviewed the educational material, said it includes setting up scenarios and handling ethical discussions for troops.
"I really don't think it's going to be earthshaking for them," he said, adding later: "Young Marines will be receptive to it."
He said the classes' instructors will be trained in the next month or so.
Final implementation of the new policy will go into effect 60 days after the president and his senior defense advisers certify that lifting the ban won't hurt troops' ability to fight.
The Marine Corps' top leader, Gen. James Amos, previously expressed concern that the change could disrupt the cohesion of combat units where troops must put their lives in each other's hands. Now that the Department of Defense is moving to lift the ban by year's end, Amos has said he wants Marines to excel in following the rules. He told troops in a video message last month that the Marine Corps will "step out smartly" to implement the change and be respectful of any gay recruit.
Mills said it has been a non-issue on the battlefield.
"'Don't ask, don't tell' out here has not had much impact," said the general, who is in charge of coalition forces in southwest Afghanistan, where fighting is the heaviest.
Later, he added with a chuckle: "There's not a lot of dating of any kind that goes on out here, so it's not really come up."
As troops come off the battlefield, Mills said they will have time to rest and focus their attention before starting the classes. Most troops in Afghanistan will begin their training while still deployed, but those who cannot for some reason will attend sessions at U.S. bases, Mills said.
Way to go..... yeah!Give me a freeking break! I thought it was'nt a big deal..... why do they have to teach them how to be civil? I thought this was all normal.... Why do they have to be taught what should just come naturally?
