In a recent Military Times poll, 73% of active duty service members said someone coming out as gay would have no impact on their unit. These numbers are the first real gauge of the military’s attitude on the issue since the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.
Prior to the repeal, coming out would have been a fireable offense. In the same study 5% responded that it would have a positive effect. Combined 78% in the study think someone coming out would have either a positive or no impact. Only 21% think it would affect the unit negatively (rounding makes the total just short of 100%.)
Groups that opposed the repeal of DADT like Center for Military Readiness claimed that letting gays serve openly would harm combat effectiveness and unit morale. Proponents of the repeal, like the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network say it’s a civil rights issue and active duty members should be able to serve openly and not forced into hiding.
The survey shows that active duty service members seem to be in no rush to come out. According to the Army Times of the 25 members of the study who identified as openly gay, lesbian or bisexual...
Only one had come out of the closet at work since repeal; the rest either said their unit members knew about their orientation before repeal, or they continue to keep their orientation private.
The Obama administration ended the nearly two decade long policy last year.
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It's interesting to see how people like Bachmann or Santorum say they would reinstitute the policy despite its lack of negative effects as they claim
the majority of the american people are not for DADT yet the republicans continually talk about it like it's something the people want
We fought for this so long. Leave it alone.....I'm for it. I don't want anyone to have to live a lie to please bigots.
The only party how want this reactive is the Tea party.
They should try taking that same poll in the Republican party. Only I don't know how many would admit to taking a poll.
In fact most Republicans in reality aren't actually all for it which is why the support of the tea party theo-cons is out of touch
Heard comment from black teenager on tv. He said when he went outside to follow his dog, he saw trayvin on ground, screaming. THEN he heard shot. That wd make this 'incident' an execution!!!
Hrd interview w/black youth, who said he went outside w/his dog, saw Trayvon on ground, screaming, the hrd shot. This wd make this 'incident' an execution, rather than 'self-defense'
Equality still eludes our gay heroes in uniform. Legally married same-sex military spouses are denied health insurance, commissary, housing allowance and other base privileges as compared to their opposite-sex married counterparts. For those interested - http://OUTmilitary.com has been providing a supportive environment for friending, sharing and networking between Gay active military, vets and supporters since December, 2010.
i was in the service back in early 90's, went in as a 28 yr old in the nat. guard. i trained at fort jackson south carolina. There was no republican/democrat ideology crap that these cable shows run their platforms on saying they said this or that or they are against this or that...what happened was no one wanted to be around any homosexuals in the barracks or bunking near them. Group mentality usually ran the show. there was a heavy mixture of different races, some from virgin islands, peurto Rico, different accents and yet there was no racial BS. I dont personally have any issues with gay marriage, in fact why let just straight people be the only ones to be happy, or suffer in marriage. I am not married, My Fiance and myself decided it was only a piece of paper and living togeather and happy works out fine. She said she is alot more happier the way it is then when she was married to her first husband.