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Military Discharging Two Soldiers Per Day For Being Gay Despite War Group Says
by Doreen Brandt, 365Gay.com Washington Bureau
May 24, 2006 - 5:00 pm ET
(Washington) The armed forces discharged an average of two people a day in 2005 for being openly gay a group advocating for LGBTs in the military said on Wednesday.
Citing newly released data for 2005 the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network said the rate of discharge has remained relatively consistent each year since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. But, it added that the numbers represent a 40% decrease compared with years prior to the attacks.
A total of 742 military personnel were discharged under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on openly gay service members, up from 668 discharges among the services in 2004.
"The time has come for the Pentagon to call on Congress to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,'" said SLDN executive director C. Dixon Osburn.
"The law deprives our nation of thousands of skilled men and women who could be instrumental in fighting the war on terror. Our national security suffers because of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.'"
The Army discharged 386 soldiers in 2005, up from 325 the year before. The Air Force dismissed 88 airmen, down slightly from 92 in 2004; the Navy discharged 177 members, the same as the prior year; 75 Marines were discharged, up from 59 the year before; and the Coast Guard discharged 16 men and women, compared to 15 in 2004.
According to an analysis of 2000 census data by statistician Gary Gates, there are currently 65,000 gays serving in the armed forces.
According to Gates, an additional 41,000 lesbian and gay Americans may enlist for military service if the ban were repealed
"Many gay and lesbian service members are out to colleagues, yet ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ still threatens to cut their careers short if they get caught in the crosshairs of this counterproductive law,” Osburn said.
Yet despite the discharges the military’s need for qualified and experienced personnel also continues to grow. It has been reported that the armed forces are facing a “major” officer shortage, including falling short by 2,500 captains and majors in the Army this year, with that number increasing to 3,300 in 2007.
In an attempt to attract new recruits and fill the gap, Pentagon leaders have recently relaxed enlistment standards regarding age, physical fitness, education and criminal records.
A bi-partisan coalition in Congress now supports legislation to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1059), introduced in March 2005 by Congressman Marty Meehan (D-MA) now has 116 supporters, including five Republican lawmakers. Meehan’s legislation would repeal the military’s ban and allow lesbian, gay and bisexual personnel to serve openly in the armed forces.
Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy, USA (Ret.), the first woman to achieve the three-star rank of Lt. Gen. in the United States Army, also called earlier this month for Congress to repeal the military ban.
©365Gay.com 2006
My only question is how many of them were actually gay, as opposed to those who only said they were to get the Hell out of Iraq. Being labeled a fag or coming home in a bag.... that's kind of a no brainer, isn't it?
by Doreen Brandt, 365Gay.com Washington Bureau
May 24, 2006 - 5:00 pm ET
(Washington) The armed forces discharged an average of two people a day in 2005 for being openly gay a group advocating for LGBTs in the military said on Wednesday.
Citing newly released data for 2005 the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network said the rate of discharge has remained relatively consistent each year since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. But, it added that the numbers represent a 40% decrease compared with years prior to the attacks.
A total of 742 military personnel were discharged under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on openly gay service members, up from 668 discharges among the services in 2004.
"The time has come for the Pentagon to call on Congress to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,'" said SLDN executive director C. Dixon Osburn.
"The law deprives our nation of thousands of skilled men and women who could be instrumental in fighting the war on terror. Our national security suffers because of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.'"
The Army discharged 386 soldiers in 2005, up from 325 the year before. The Air Force dismissed 88 airmen, down slightly from 92 in 2004; the Navy discharged 177 members, the same as the prior year; 75 Marines were discharged, up from 59 the year before; and the Coast Guard discharged 16 men and women, compared to 15 in 2004.
According to an analysis of 2000 census data by statistician Gary Gates, there are currently 65,000 gays serving in the armed forces.
According to Gates, an additional 41,000 lesbian and gay Americans may enlist for military service if the ban were repealed
"Many gay and lesbian service members are out to colleagues, yet ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ still threatens to cut their careers short if they get caught in the crosshairs of this counterproductive law,” Osburn said.
Yet despite the discharges the military’s need for qualified and experienced personnel also continues to grow. It has been reported that the armed forces are facing a “major” officer shortage, including falling short by 2,500 captains and majors in the Army this year, with that number increasing to 3,300 in 2007.
In an attempt to attract new recruits and fill the gap, Pentagon leaders have recently relaxed enlistment standards regarding age, physical fitness, education and criminal records.
A bi-partisan coalition in Congress now supports legislation to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1059), introduced in March 2005 by Congressman Marty Meehan (D-MA) now has 116 supporters, including five Republican lawmakers. Meehan’s legislation would repeal the military’s ban and allow lesbian, gay and bisexual personnel to serve openly in the armed forces.
Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy, USA (Ret.), the first woman to achieve the three-star rank of Lt. Gen. in the United States Army, also called earlier this month for Congress to repeal the military ban.
©365Gay.com 2006
My only question is how many of them were actually gay, as opposed to those who only said they were to get the Hell out of Iraq. Being labeled a fag or coming home in a bag.... that's kind of a no brainer, isn't it?
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