The Military Is About To Get More FABULOUS!!!

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Ok, this whole thing is STUPID.

Gays, straights, bis, and whatever else you like to mess around with on your time are IRRELEVANT to your job.

"Openly serving" in the military is ridiculous. Your sexual preference should NEVER come up on the job. Who you're dating should never come up. Who you're screwing should never come up.

You are here to fight for this country and do your JOB.

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" should be a blanket policy for everyone in the military.

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http://www.wfaa.com/news/politics/House-OKs-repeal-of-gay-ban-in-military-95091824.html

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Thursday delivered a victory to President Barack Obama and gay rights groups by approving a proposal to repeal the law that allows gays to serve in the military only if they don't disclose their sexual orientation.

The 234-194 vote to overturn the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy reflected a view among many in Congress that America was ready for a military in which gays and straights can stand side by side in the trenches.

"I know that our military draws its strength on the integrity of our unified force, and current law challenges this integrity by creating two realities within the ranks," Rep. Susan Davis, D-Calif., said.

Republicans, who voted overwhelmingly against it, cited statements by some military leaders that they need more time to study how a change in the law could affect the lives and readiness of service members.

The House vote came just hours after the Senate Armed Services Committee took the same course and voted 16-12 in favor of repealing the 1993 law. In both cases the measure was offered as an amendment to a defense spending bill.

Obama and leading Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had actively supported the repeal so that gays could serve in the military without fear of being exposed and discharged.

In a statement after the House vote, Obama hailed the day's congressional action as "important bipartisan steps toward repeal."

"This legislation will help make our armed forces even stronger and more inclusive by allowing gay and lesbian soldiers to serve honestly and with integrity," Obama said.

"This is the beginning of the end of a shameful ban on open service by lesbian and gay troops that has weakened our national security," Joe Solmonese, president of Human Rights Campaign, a leading gay rights organization, said after the Senate panel's vote.

During an all-day House debate on the bill approving more than $700 billion in spending for defense programs, Republicans repeated statements by military service chiefs that Congress should not act before the Pentagon completes a study on the impact of a repeal.

Congress going first "is the equivalent to turning to our men and women in uniform and their families and saying, 'Your opinion, your view, do not count,'" said Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon of California, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee.

Democratic supporters stressed that the amendment was written so that the repeal would not go into effect until after the Pentagon publishes in December the results of a survey on how service members and their families view the change, and until the president, the defense secretary and the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that the repeal will not affect the military's ability to fight.

The chief sponsor of the amendment, Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., who served in the Iraq War, said that when he was in Baghdad "my teams did not care whether a fellow soldier was straight or gay if they could fire their assault rifle or run a convoy down ambush alley and do their job so everyone would come home safely."

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said that of the 13,500 members of the military who have been discharged under "don't ask, don't tell," more than 1,000 filled critical occupations, such as engineers and interpreters.

He compared the arguments of the opposition to 1948 speeches in Congress when lawmakers warned that integrating the troops would undermine morale in the military.

The drive to repeal the ban still faces a tough road ahead in the full Senate, where Republicans are likely to filibuster it.

"I think it's really going to be very harmful to the morale and effectiveness of our military," said Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee and a leading opponent of the repeal.

The Senate probably will take up the bill next month.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said he supports repeal but would prefer that Congress wait for the December report.

Under "don't ask, don't tell," military leaders don't investigate a service member's sexual orientation as long as the person does not disclose that he or she is gay or has a same-sex relationship, which are grounds for dismissal.

Also on Thursday the House rejected an amendment to the defense bill that would have cut $485 million from the bill designated for a second engine for the new F-35 fighter jet.

Gates strongly opposes the extra engine as wasteful and unneeded, and the White House issued a statement Thursday saying the president would be advised to veto the final bill if it includes funds for the engine. But supporters of the engine made by General Electric and Rolls-Royce PLC contended that the competition between engine makers would save money in the 30 to 40-year life cycle of the $100 billion project.

[Ban Hammer 12,829]

in the navy...........

[IndigoSkies 168]

If a person's sexuality is irrelevent to his job, then there shouldn't be a policy of "don't ask, don't tell." Paul, that's what they are trying to to do is that make the matter irrelevent to serving in the military. You in to your local recuriting officer who gives you a test. If you pass based on knowledge and strenght, you get to enlist. End of story.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

If a person's sexuality is irrelevent to his job, then there shouldn't be a policy of "don't ask, don't tell." Paul, that's what they are trying to to do is that make the matter irrelevent to serving in the military. You in to your local recuriting officer who gives you a test. If you pass based on knowledge and strenght, you get to enlist. End of story.

that's the way it already is now.

[Nagishkaw 510]

in the navy...........

[IndigoSkies 168]

that's the way it already is now.

Then why is there a "don't ask, don't tell" policy? Am I very ignorant about this matter?

Why'd they enact this policy to begin with? Those who oppose it, do they want a line on the application that says "Fill in the blank: I am a ____________."

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Then why is there a "don't ask, don't tell" policy? Am I very ignorant about this matter?

Why'd they enact this policy to begin with? Those who oppose it, do they want a line on the application that says "Fill in the blank: I am a ____________."

Don't Ask, Don't Tell only prevents you from publically coming out about being gay in the military or enacting in relationships in public view....

Personally, I don't think any military relationships should be in public view as you are there for duty. To me it's not a gay issue, it's a straight and gay issue.

One thing I will say, is if someone is going to be "openly" gay in the military, then there needs to be seperate showers/bunks, etc.. as you know a lot of people won't feel comfortable sharing quarters with someone who they might 'feel' who'd be watching them.... the same reason men and women are separate.

[IndigoSkies 168]

So don't ask, don't tell basically mandates gays keep their gayness hidden. Does it tell the non-gays to do the same?

I remember a show called Pensacola. It was about the man of air force in Pensacola base. They loved to go to the local bar and do things straight people do. Their superiors accopanied them in the bar.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

So don't ask, don't tell basically mandates gays keep their gayness hidden. Does it tell the non-gays to do the same?

I remember a show called Pensacola. It was about the man of air force in Pensacola base. They loved to go to the local bar and do things straight people do. Their superiors accopanied them in the bar.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell means that gays nor the military can openly say who they are, nor can they be asked about/harassed about their possible sexuality.

In a technical sense, it applies to straights as well as they cannot be asked about their sexuality because sexuality should remain a mystery across the board.

The idea is to keep everyone in line and to keep any issues from arising as in many cases when you're in tight areas with a variety of different people, there will be a lot who aren't accepting of that sexual preference. So it's something that should never be talked about/discussed at all. Not everyone is like this mind you and there are people who are 'known' by their peers to be gay and in the military but being open about it all around is prohibited for the reasons mentioned.

It's actually a smart policy but some look at it as discriminatory. If you really break it down it's one of those rules that for the betterment of the military and what their duty is. It's not saying you can't have your private life. It's just saying your private life cannot be public. The military has different rules in many areas for many different reasons and this rule is no different.

[Susita 175]

I don't get why people should have to keep their relationships private. My best friend lived on base with his wife and kids, so their relationship was obviously not private.

I'm glad they're repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I don't get why people should have to keep their relationships private. My best friend lived on base with his wife and kids, so their relationship was obviously not private.

I'm glad they're repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

It's a comfort thing. A lot of people aren't comfortable with gays. They don't want gays to be harmed, they don't want people feeling uncomfortable with someone who is openly gay being in a communal shower, same bunk, etc... As I said, it's the same reason why they aren't co-ed.

[Nina~ 431]

It's a comfort thing. A lot of people aren't comfortable with gays. They don't want gays to be harmed, they don't want people feeling uncomfortable with someone who is openly gay being in a communal shower, same bunk, etc... As I said, it's the same reason why they aren't co-ed.

Speak for yourself! Most people dont really care what goes on in someone else's bedroom.

I find it interesting how you like the big-bad-government staying out of people's business, unless it is about something that you dont like.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Speak for yourself! Most people dont really care what goes on in someone else's bedroom.

I find it interesting how you like the big-bad-government staying out of people's business, unless it is about something that you dont like.

We're not talking about a simple private company. We are talking about groups of people who live together and share things... There's a huge difference.

This is the military, not McDonalds.

[Nina~ 431]

We're not talking about a simple private company. We are talking about groups of people who live together and share things... There's a huge difference.

This is the military, not McDonalds.

I still do not see what the big problem is whether it is McDonalds or the military. How is someone else's sexual orientation going to affect you are me???

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I still do not see what the big problem is whether it is McDonalds or the military. How is someone else's sexual orientation going to affect you are me???

if you read other posts above, I explain this.

If someone is openly gay and you have communcal showers, there's going to be people uncomfortable. If there's someone sleeping in the same room as you, some will be uncomfortable.

It's the same exact reason why men and women don't share bunks together/share the same facilities.

There are still a lot of people out there who are very uncomfortable around those of that sexuality.

You have to look at how much time many spend their time with each other. It's 24/7 it a lot of cases.

This isn't just going to work and coming home for the evening like your regular 9-5 where people don't know much about you.