Pentagon To Recognize Gay Troops

[High_Gravity]

Pentagon To Recognize Gay Troops

WASHINGTON — Last summer, gays in the military dared not admit their sexual orientation. This summer, the Pentagon will salute them, marking June as gay pride month just as it has marked other celebrations honoring racial or ethnic groups.

In the latest remarkable sign of change since the military repealed the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, the Defense Department will soon hold its first event to recognize gay and lesbian troops. It comes nine months after repeal of the policy that had banned gay troops from serving openly and forced more than 13,500 service members out of the armed forces.

Details are still being worked out, but officials say Defense Secretary Leon Panetta wants to honor the contributions of gay service members.

"Now that we've repealed `don't ask, don't tell,' he feels it's important to find a way this month to recognize the service and professionalism of gay and lesbian troops," said Navy Capt. John Kirby, a spokesman.

This month's event will follow a long tradition in the Pentagon of recognizing diversity in America's armed forces. Hallway displays and activities, for example, have marked Black History Month and Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month.

Before the repeal, gay troops could serve but couldn't reveal their orientation. If they did, they would be discharged. At the same time, a commanding officer was prohibited from asking a service member is he or she was gay.

Although some feared repeal of the ban on serving openly would cause problems in the ranks, officials and gay advocacy groups say no big issues have materialized – aside from what advocacy groups criticize as slow implementation of some changes, such as benefit entitlements to troops in same-sex marriages.

Basic changes have come rapidly since repeal – the biggest that gay and lesbian soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines no longer have to hide their sexuality in order to serve. They can put photos on their office desk without fear of being outed, attend social events with their partners and openly join advocacy groups looking out for their interests.

OutServe, a once-clandestine professional association for gay service members, has nearly doubled in size to more than 5,500 members. It held its first national convention of gay service members in Las Vegas last fall, then a conference on family issues this year in Washington.

At West Point, the alumni gay advocacy group Knights Out was able to hold the first installment in March of what is intended to be an annual dinner in recognition of gay and lesbian graduates and Army cadets. Gay students at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis were able to take same-sex dates to the academy's Ring Dance for third-year midshipmen.

Pentagon To Recognize Gay Troops

 

[Ravi]

 

[Leweman]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc1am3KyYgA]Men in Tights Song - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Mad Scientist]

Aren't they already recognizable?

 

[Katzndogz]

Like this is going to make for a more effective fighting force.

 

[High_Gravity]

Like this is going to make for a more effective fighting force.

You never know, some of those butch Lesbians are pretty tough, they can probably fuck up some Talibs.

 

[Stephanie]

Well I guess it's because they are so much more special than the rest of military men and women..

this administation has become one big joke after another

 

[Leweman]

I've heard that Audie Murphy was gay, though I've never seen any evidence nor do I know where the rumor came from.

 

[tjvh]

Put them on the front lines with this... Problem... Meet solution.

 

[Katzndogz]

We will absolutely deserve what's going to happen to this country.

 

[Caroljo]

They got what they wanted....so why this?? What makes them so much more special than anyone else? They asked for "equality"...it's not equal if they're getting special treatment over the rest of our military.

 

[High_Gravity]

We will absolutely deserve what's going to happen to this country.

 

[Katzndogz]

We will absolutely deserve what's going to happen to this country.

That's the way I feel about it too. But, no getting around it, we are definitely on the downside. Whether a new president could fix it is doubtful. The nation is too divided for either ideaology to be in any kind of control.

 

[High_Gravity]

We will absolutely deserve what's going to happen to this country.

That's the way I feel about it too. But, no getting around it, we are definitely on the downside. Whether a new president could fix it is doubtful. The nation is too divided for either ideaology to be in any kind of control.

If we fell under Shariah law gays would be tossed out of the Military again right? it feels like we are headed in 2 different directions, one towards a possible Shariah law and one towards a more liberal direction, when these points collide it will be interesting.

 

[Katzndogz]

That's the way I feel about it too. But, no getting around it, we are definitely on the downside. Whether a new president could fix it is doubtful. The nation is too divided for either ideaology to be in any kind of control.

If we fell under Shariah law gays would be tossed out of the Military again right? it feels like we are headed in 2 different directions, one towards a possible Shariah law and one towards a more liberal direction, when these points collide it will be interesting.

Gays wouldn't be kicked out, but summarily executed.

Start reading, ask Sunni Man, fundamental islamists view the actions of liberals as tools that actually advance shariah law.

 

[High_Gravity]

That's the way I feel about it too. But, no getting around it, we are definitely on the downside. Whether a new president could fix it is doubtful. The nation is too divided for either ideaology to be in any kind of control.

If we fell under Shariah law gays would be tossed out of the Military again right? it feels like we are headed in 2 different directions, one towards a possible Shariah law and one towards a more liberal direction, when these points collide it will be interesting.

Gays wouldn't be kicked out, but summarily executed.

Start reading, ask Sunni Man, fundamental islamists view the actions of liberals as tools that actually advance shariah law.

Thats the thing though, gays have made such strides and progress here, it would all go crashing to the ground under Sharia.

 

[Ravi]

If we fell under Shariah law gays would be tossed out of the Military again right? it feels like we are headed in 2 different directions, one towards a possible Shariah law and one towards a more liberal direction, when these points collide it will be interesting.

Gays wouldn't be kicked out, but summarily executed.

Start reading, ask Sunni Man, fundamental islamists view the actions of liberals as tools that actually advance shariah law.

Thats the thing though, gays have made such strides and progress here, it would all go crashing to the ground under Sharia.

Sharia law is going to happen here???

 

[High_Gravity]

Gays wouldn't be kicked out, but summarily executed.

Start reading, ask Sunni Man, fundamental islamists view the actions of liberals as tools that actually advance shariah law.

Thats the thing though, gays have made such strides and progress here, it would all go crashing to the ground under Sharia.

Sharia law is going to happen here???

Some people would like it to, I'm just talking hypothetically.

 

[Ravi]

Thats the thing though, gays have made such strides and progress here, it would all go crashing to the ground under Sharia.

Sharia law is going to happen here???

Some people would like it to, I'm just talking hypothetically.

I expect to see many on the far right embracing it as it appears most of Christianity is starting to side with the gays.

 

[Katzndogz]

Sharia law is going to happen here???

Some people would like it to, I'm just talking hypothetically.

I expect to see many on the far right embracing it as it appears most of Christianity is starting to side with the gays.

I'll believe that as soon as the majority speaks in their direction. So far, out of 32 states where proposals to prohibit same sex marriage were made, all 32 have passed legislation to that effect. obama is even losing the black vote over it.

Put it up for a Constitutional amendment, let's see if 2/3 of the states will ratify it.