Thoughts On Don't Ask Don't Tell?

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

Also Dad, there are rules in the military against going after someone else's wife. ...

Then Things have changed since I was in....because the minute a ship left port...that night the E.M. Club was loaded w/ wives looking to hook up....and plenty of Sailors more than willing to oblige

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

There are also rules that prevent officers from being drinking buddies with men that you may have to order into harm's way. Those rules also serve the same purpose as my opinion.
...

Also remember My Division Officer whipping out his AMEX Gold card and treating some of the Guys in our Division to some of the "Joys" of Amsterdam"

Just because there are rules doesn't mean they are always followed to the "T"....there we always rules against fraternization....didn't matter, If the Officer was cool we would drink together.

[nightfighter]

Off topic, but there are a great number of our servicewomen who are suffering at the hands of our own servicemen in country....A lot of rapes and unwarranted advances being kept from the public. Happens within military personnel stationed here at home as well, but the numbers skyrockets when on deployment. This was one of the concerns about women in the military from the beginning. Sex plays a part in any and all societies. It just complicates things in a theater of battle. No way we should go back to not having women in a warzone, as they have repeatedly proven themselves. But maybe there are correlations and lessons to be learned....

[Raider Ronnie]

I have a handful of friends I grew up with who are gay (all females)

That being said we are put on this planet for 1 purpose,
REPRODUCTION !

[Backbeach Jake]

It's none of my business what someone's sexual preference is unless they tell me. The gay men and women that I've had the priviledge to work with were all stellar in their performance and good company , too. I really do not understand why this is an issue other than fear.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Backbeach Jake

It's none of my business what someone's sexual preference is unless they tell me. The gay men and women that I've had the priviledge to work with were all stellar in their performance and good company , too. I really do not understand why this is an issue other than fear.

Backbeach, I can only assume you didn't read any of my posts. I am not afraid of homosexuals.

Combat command is a little different than working in an office. You simply cannot be an effective combat commander if there is any sense among your men that decisions might be based on sexual attraction. If I was gay when I was in the USMC, and I had a crush on one of my privates, I might be inclined to consistently select others for dangerous assignments. Once my men suspect that, I'm done as an effective commander.

It has nothing to do with fear. It has to do with fair, especially when life and death are on the line. If I tell a private that he has to kick down a door and secure a house, he has the right to know for certain that I'm not picking him because I want to protect the other guy in the squad that I have a crush on. It would be difficult for me to imagine that a leader could send someone into harm's way that they had feelings for. That sexual chemistry makes objectivity harder to come by. It might not make objecticity impossible, but it makes it harder. Combat is hard enough without needlessly making it harder, just for the sake of political correctness.

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

That being said we are put on this planet for 1 purpose,
REPRODUCTION !

with eating and fishing closely following

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

Then Things have changed since I was in....because the minute a ship left port...that night the E.M. Club was loaded w/ wives looking to hook up....and plenty of Sailors more than willing to oblige




Also remember My Division Officer whipping out his AMEX Gold card and treating some of the Guys in our Division to some of the "Joys" of Amsterdam"

Just because there are rules doesn't mean they are always followed to the "T"....there we always rules against fraternization....didn't matter, If the Officer was cool we would drink together.

"Then Things have changed since I was in."

Article 134 of the Uniform Code OF Military Justice has been used to prosecute adultery. I don't know when yuo served, or how long that article has been in there. Also, there's a difference between the letter of the law, and how it's enforced, differences by branch, etc...