Asking and Telling

In 1993, a law was passed to stop the witch-hunts for gays in the military. Known simply as the “don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT) statute, it was the law of the land until the military adopted a new policy of open service a little over a year ago. Social conservatives predicted erosion in the effectiveness of our fighting forces, difficulties in living conditions within military barracks or in makeshift field accommodations and disciplinary issues that would arise by reason of gays seeking partners (“converts”) in the ranks. A year later, it seems that the only friction generated from this open service policy has been among the critics and defenders… the soldiers in the field could give a damn.

The military has been changing, from top to bottom. Understanding there are under 100 active duty Army generals (at any level), of which very few are women (we have only one female four-star general, Ann Dunwoody), it may have been a big shock to critics of the open service policy that an openly gay woman, 26-year veteran Tammy Smith, was appointed to the rank of Brigadier General just this August. “Smith’s promotion is significant on its own military merit, but the new brigadier general gave the country another kind of amazing example by doing something as loving and normal as having her spouse at her side [above] for her swearing-in.” Washington Post, August 14^th. But to most in the military, it’s just the way it is. A new report tells us that very little seems to have changed based on the new open service policy.

Before I summarize the result of the Palm Center study that purports to provide this opinion, I think it matters to understand the source of the report. “The Palm Center, founded in 1998, originally was known as the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military [CSSMM]. In 2006, in recognition of a $1 million dollar endowment gift from the Michael D. Palm Foundation, the Center was renamed. In 2011, the Palm Center became a distinct Center under the Williams Institute at the University of California Los Angeles, School of Law.” PalmCenter.org.

“[The report] found that there has been no overall negative impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, recruitment, retention or morale… The authors of the study, who included professors at U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Marine Corps War College, arrived at this conclusion after soliciting the views of 553 generals and admirals who predicted that repeal would undermine the military, as well as with expert opponents of DADT repeal, a number of watchdog organizations and more than 60 active-duty heterosexual, lesbian, gay and bisexual troops from every service branch.

“They also observed several military units and administered several surveys, analyzed relevant media articles published during the research period and conducted secondary source analysis of surveys independently administered by outside groups… ‘For almost twenty years, experts predicted that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would harm the military,’ said Aaron Belkin, the founding director of the Palm Center and lead author of the study. ‘Now the evidence is in, and the conclusion is clear: repealing 'don't ask, don't tell' did not harm the military, and if anything made it easier for the Pentagon to pursue its mission.’” Huffington Post, September 10^th.

In short, the ability to recruit a better qualified class of sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines has been made easier, the list of qualified candidates has been expanded, and the viability of a military career has been made attractive to a whole new cadre of applicants. America has changed, will change and many of these new social vectors are now as much a part of our social fabric as the First Amendment. There are many who hate the new America of racial integration, acceptance of people with different values on marriage and dating and the empowerment of women in the work force, desperately wanting to go back to the “good old days.” But since the new America is the only America that is, isn’t the only thing they are saying is that they really just hate America? And if it doesn’t go back….

I’m Peter Dekom, and the one constant, I like to keep repeating, is change.