tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9962318.post6604045294029029362..comments2024-01-19T19:09:23.701-08:00Comments on UpWord: Army Welcomes Felons and Drop-Outs, Anyone But HomosexualsTom Chatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14570407221616215818noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9962318.post-5420767395391536002007-03-20T08:17:00.000-07:002007-03-20T08:17:00.000-07:00As an acitive duty U.S. Marine, I know and underst...As an acitive duty U.S. Marine, I know and understand one thing; when the (pardon the language) shit hits the fan, whatever problems you have with someone personally, dissapear. Exactly the reason this whole homophobic nature of the military needs to dissapear. In my eyes, and the eyes of many of my fellow Marines, no matter what orientation, you can still pull me out of a burning vehicle, pull a trigger, or jump on a gernade.wzgriffithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10022244694747785738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9962318.post-76947922785421727962007-03-14T00:17:00.000-07:002007-03-14T00:17:00.000-07:00Whoops. Hit the 'publish' button too soon! Please...Whoops. Hit the 'publish' button too soon! Please merge with my last post, if possible.<BR/><BR/>Another cadet asked MSgt. Valdez how he could have served for any length of time with other gays, when clearly it was a disqualifying factor and grounds for discharge. MSgt. Valdez responded that the question that was asked during the initial enlistment process was, "Do you have a problem with homosexuality?" The obvious (and truthful!) answer was, "No, I don't have a problem with it!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9962318.post-77958916363985867162007-03-14T00:08:00.000-07:002007-03-14T00:08:00.000-07:00This also takes me back to a time when I was in hi...This also takes me back to a time when I was in high school JROTC and our enlisted instructor, MSgt. Ray Valdez, was relating to a few of us his positive experiences serving with gays in the Air Force (he said he'd serve with <B>anyone</B> else willing to die for their country).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9962318.post-91924769921848975992007-03-14T00:02:00.000-07:002007-03-14T00:02:00.000-07:00I'm a bit late to this, but General Pace's recent ...I'm a bit late to this, but General Pace's <A HREF="http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/13/gays.military/index.html" REL="nofollow">recent unfortunate remarks</A> reminded me that I should probably comment here ...<BR/><BR/>Having been a cadet in JROTC and ROTC in the late 80s, and an active duty service memeber during the institution of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in 94, I'm able to attest to at least some of the "fear" that existed in the ranks at that time. I served in a support role, and can only guess that it was probably worse and more blatant in the front line combat units. However, I recently read that upwords of 70% of surveyed service members would disagree with the general and are comfortable serving with gays and lesbians (unfortunately, I no longer have the reference). Some of December's <A HREF="http://www.stripes.com/07/jan07/106poll.html" REL="nofollow">Zogby poll</A> results, published in a <I>Stars and Stripes</I> <A HREF="http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=41541&archive=true" REL="nofollow">article</A> would seem to put that figure on the optimistic side, though.<BR/><BR/>I do take comfort in the fact that, at least in the past, the military has been out in front on <A HREF="http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/integration/IAF-fm.htm" REL="nofollow">integration issues</A>, and hope that the Pace controversy might be a catalyst for change.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com