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President Obama has called for doing away with the current “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” program in the military. Following his recommendation will only make a bad situation worse.
Having served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, I know that having homosexuals in the military is harmful. When this topic was first broached by President Clinton soon after he took office in 1993, an article appeared in the Marine Corps Gazette entitled “Disband the Marine Corps.” Its author, Major Arthur J. Corbett, stated: “It would be better to disband … than see it dishonored and its virtues and values destroyed.”

As I pointed out in one chapter of my 1995 book Changing Commands: The Betrayal of America’s Military, several high officers resigned rather than continue serving alongside homosexuals. Marine Major Charles Johnson submitted his resignation in the wake of the Clinton announcement. He pointed to the harm that would flow from lifting the centuries-old ban on homosexuals. What harm? Johnson said, “It has been proven in history that a battle is a function of a small unit, no bigger than a squad of about 13 men.” He stressed that faith in others who will fight alongside fellow Marines and faith in one’s superiors is critical. And he had no doubt that placing homosexuals in the small unit, or as officers over the unit, would court disaster.
Before Congress acted on the Clinton initiative and instituted the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, all branches of the military were guided for over 200 years by what eventually became Department of Defense Directive 1332.14. It stated:
Homosexuality is incompatible with military service. The presence in the military environment of persons who engage in homosexual conduct or who, by their statements, demonstrate a propensity to engage in homosexual conduct, seriously impairs the accomplishment of the military mission.
Military veterans of all services know that acts of heroism in battle are not stimulated by thoughts of medals or headlines. Running through enemy fire or other acts of hard-to-imagine bravery result from the bond of loyalty, faith and comradeship that the men have for each other. Once homosexuals are placed in such a circumstance, that essential bond is weakened if not completely destroyed.
Serving in the military is not a right; it’s a privilege. It is denied some because of height, weight, age, physical condition, even inability to pass an intelligence test. In other words, there are standards, one of which has always been avoidance of homosexuality. All who serve know that they are about to embark on a very different lifestyle with rules and regulations not found in most other pursuits. Barring homosexuals may be termed discriminatory by some, and they are correct. It makes sense to discriminate against homosexuals serving in the military.
And there’s more. Would a parent possessing fundamental morals and religious values stand by and allow a son or daughter to enlist in today’s military? The answer is no and, because of the situation that already exists, the military is being denied a source of the type recruit that all services want and that have always regularly been filled in the past.
Further, would a homosexual seek to join the military because the close quarters associated with the military life would present him or her with a source for desired liaisons? The answer is an emphatic yes.
Acceptance of homosexuals is a severe departure from long-standing practice. It makes more likely the acceptance of other fundamental departures from military discipline and the proper function of the military. Moral relativism, a feature of homosexuality, spawns the attitude that all military orders and practices are relative and not to be acted upon swiftly or carried out without question.
Congress should not only be urged to cancel the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, all members should be asked to reinstitute the ban on homosexuality. And President Obama should be informed that his recommendation is being rejected because implementing it will only worsen an already serious situation.
John F. McManus is president of The John Birch Society.
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