Revisiting 'don't ask, don't tell'

Don’t ask, don’t tell,” is again a hot political issue.

Besides the ugly politics of dealing with homosexuality in the armed forces, there are related issues, not just for military commanders but for all servicemen and women regardless of individual sexual orientation. This problem recently reentered the public arena from a lawsuit demanding the immediate ban on defense agencies enforcing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy begun 17 years ago under President Bill Clinton. In that practice, homosexuals in the service can either be ignored or kicked out. Both options seem to be in use, but it is a flawed way to deal with the problem. Many politicians see it as a method to avoid a possibly unpopular stand. In that regard, the current policy looks like a cop-out.

Agreeing with the federal judge’s decision that “don’t ask, don’t tell” violates the First Amendment rights of gay and lesbian service members are President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Admiral Mike Mullen Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a number of congressmen. There are also numbers of congressmen who believe “don’t ask, don’t tell,” should remain in place.

An interesting point brought out in the latest battle includes a claim the Pentagon is routinely not discharging many known gay servicemen and women until after they have completed deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. Verified? Who knows? The bottom line is, “The U.S. Congress should grab the bull by the horns and settle the problem in a fair and responsible manner.”

When I went in the army almost 55 years ago from the hills of Montana, I didn’t really know what a homosexual was. The average GI felt it enhanced their macho image to tell “queer jokes.” Rolling Greenwich Village “queers” in New York was viewed as acceptable. I now realize there were homosexuals throughout the service then and they obviously suffered while hiding the situation. Unjustifiable anti-homosexual attitudes continued among most hetero males for many years after the war and still do to a lesser extent, but times are changing.

Thinking back over past experiences with all kinds of people, no homosexual male or female ever caused me any personal concern and some were an inspiration. One was a Master Sergeant WWII veteran who brilliantly oversaw the radio room operations for ETO Headquarters Signal Center at Frankfurt, Germany. Our operation was the vital link between all American forces in Europe and the Pentagon.

During America’s serious confrontation with Russia over the highway and rail routes in Berlin, that sergeant was found in an off-duty “situation” with an equally drunk Private First Class at the barracks. My commanding officer asked me how I felt about sending them both back to the states for a discharge. I told him it would be difficult and possibly risky right then for me to operate my shift at the center without the sergeant. He agreed. There were others like “Sarge” in my battalion, including a few WACs. Heteros didn’t include them in much social activity but “out of necessity” they were left alone to do their jobs.

One of my closest university friends was a fraternity brother. He wasn't your typical macho he-man type, rather reserved and scholarly, but he had a Silver Star for gallantry in combat action. We didn’t know anything at the time but after graduation he moved to New York and “came out” as a homosexual. Another well liked frat “brother” eventually killed himself over the problem.

I’ve discussed the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy with a young friend who served in the Iraq War. He was not aware of homosexual problems in his unit but knew there were gays in the service. “Don’t ask, don’t tell” seemed to work as far as he is concerned but if it is replaced by a different policy, most GIs would rebel against any regulations that might encourage “different treatment” for homosexually oriented soldiers. He doesn’t care who or what you are ... as long as it doesn’t interfere with maintaining military discipline and getting the job done with “no favoritism or special consideration.”

Nobody can be humorous all the time, but next week I’ll be less serious.

G. George Ostrom is a Kalispell resident and a national award-winning Hungry Horse News columnist.