Would Repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Mean Equality for Gay Soldiers?

Who cares if you're lying in the mud?

The military is about discipline and morale. You cannot have a cohesive fighting unit but lack discipline and morale.

Here's the problem:

Your a 1st Lieutenant and your unit is pinned down by a machine gun. The longer you do nothing, the more your guys die. You order Sgt Brown to send someone to take out the machine gun. Sgt Brown orders Pvt Jones to do the task. Pvt Jones knows that his chance of survival is nil. Pvt Jones, know that Sgt Brown has a romantic interest in Pvt Williams. Pvt Jones knows its Pvt Williams turn to take a risk. Pvt Jones balks and alleges that Sgt Brown is trying to "save" Pvt Williams because of his relationship with Pvt Williams.

Knowing this, what is your call, Lieutenant? The longer you deliberate the more people die. You don't have time to contact your Commanding Officer for guidance. Every man in the platoon is watching your everymove.

Do you support Sgt Brown's decision and disrupt morale? You know that every man in the platoon already thinks/believes that Sgt Brown is blatently favoring Pvt Williams. Do you over-ride Sgt Brown's decision and send his Pvt. Williams? Doing so is going to erode your chain-of-command.

What are you going to do? You don't have time to make a committee decision. The military is not a democracy where everyone votes.

It's not even an issue of freedom to love who and how they want. In fact, it's not about that at all. This dilema is why the don't ask, don't tell, while flawed, still somewhat works.

David of ID 11:18AM February 03, 2010