General Discussion

http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/185/don39t_ask_don39t_tell

So should the gays thank george bush since he has paved the way for we need bodies in the military vs. what there sexual preferance is?

Originally posted by Goldknyght

http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/185/don39t_ask_don39t_tell

So should the gays thank george bush since he has paved the way for we need bodies in the military vs. what there sexual preferance is?

Last I heard all the services were filling there recruitment goals. Is there new news this year?

Originally posted by Vemoi

Originally posted by Goldknyght

http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/185/don39t_ask_don39t_tell

So should the gays thank george bush since he has paved the way for we need bodies in the military vs. what there sexual preferance is?

 

Last I heard all the services were filling there recruitment goals. Is there new news this year?

Regardless of your recruitment goals keep a soldier is another goal that they are not making. Re-enlistment is a issue that the army has. They go so far as to force people in inactive reserve to a 1day mobilization traning day so they can hassle you about re-upping.

If you're a professional, sexual orientation is irrelevant.

If you're actually a professional, that is.

Originally posted by Goldknyght

Originally posted by Vemoi

Originally posted by Goldknyght

http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/185/don39t_ask_don39t_tell

So should the gays thank george bush since he has paved the way for we need bodies in the military vs. what there sexual preferance is?

 

Last I heard all the services were filling there recruitment goals. Is there new news this year?

 

Regardless of your recruitment goals keep a soldier is another goal that they are not making. Re-enlistment is a issue that the army has. They go so far as to force people in inactive reserve to a 1day mobilization traning day so they can hassle you about re-upping.

you realize that the "Don't ask, don't tell." policy was started by Clinton, NOT Bush, right?

Having served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, I find it disturbing that people don't seem to know exactly how many gays WANT to serve, and exactly how many straight people will pretend to be gay to get out of it.
I proudly served with several gay people, one a veteran of more then 20 years, in different situations.  Met his boyfriend at a party and everything.  Nice couple.

That said, I'm also a fan of required Military Service.  I think it'd teach you a little more respect for the people who Volunteer.

Originally posted by Goldknyght

http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/185/don39t_ask_don39t_tell

So should the gays thank george bush since he has paved the way for we need bodies in the military vs. what there sexual preferance is?

I don't think it's so much an issue of "we need bodies" as it is a general gravitation toward acceptance. American culture is rapidly moving toward a progressive posture. Much of this is caused by forced association. People tend to cling to their misconceptions until they are forced into associating with others who hold different views. After this forced association, people tend to see that while differences in views exist, they really pose no threat to the daily lives of either one.

I have always considered myself an accepting person. When I was in the military, I was wrapping up some work one day when a friend stopped by my shop and asked me to grab lunch with him. We headed off to the mess hall on base and ate lunch, talking about random topics and bitching about work, when he suddenly says to me "you know I'm gay, right?". I was stunned, literally. Initially by his willingness to open up about a topic of such controversy at the time, but then I was stunned at the notion that this was a person that I had considered a friend, yet I apparently knew very little about on a personal level. How could this be? Was I not allowing myself to be fully invested in our friendship, or was he too afraid of being discharged to open up to anyone? This is what went through my head before I ever uttered the words "so what".

I had never once considered the possibility that anyone in my squadron was homosexual. In my work, it had never been an issue. People do their job or they don't do their job, and that's all I found important. After this interaction with this friend, I realized that I had been blessed with the easy path along this road, never having to worry about my families security because of my sexual preference. Never having to worry about which rights I was to be afforded in accordance with arbitrary opinion. Never having to be extremely selective about who I share personal details with. It made me think back to those times when everyone around would be trashing their wives/girlfriends, and this friend would be left out of the conversation, many times leaving the room because they were not able to be open about their life. I doubt 90% of the people around would've cared about sexual preference, but if only 1 person did, it could have lead to his being removed from a job and career that he loved.

Originally posted by DailyBuzz

Originally posted by Goldknyght

http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/185/don39t_ask_don39t_tell

So should the gays thank george bush since he has paved the way for we need bodies in the military vs. what there sexual preferance is?

 

I don't think it's so much an issue of "we need bodies" as it is a general gravitation toward acceptance. American culture is rapidly moving toward a progressive posture. Much of this is caused by forced association. People tend to cling to their misconceptions until they are forced into associating with others who hold different views. After this forced association, people tend to see that while differences in views exist, they really pose no threat to the daily lives of either one.

 

I have always considered myself an accepting person. When I was in the military, I was wrapping up some work one day when a friend stopped by my shop and asked me to grab lunch with him. We headed off to the mess hall on base and ate lunch, talking about random topics and bitching about work, when he suddenly says to me "you know I'm gay, right?". I was stunned, literally. Initially by his willingness to open up about a topic of such controversy at the time, but then I was stunned at the notion that this was a person that I had considered a friend, yet I apparently knew very little about on a personal level. How could this be? Was I not allowing myself to be fully invested in our friendship, or was he too afraid of being discharged to open up to anyone? This is what went through my head before I ever uttered the words "so what".

 

I had never once considered the possibility that anyone in my squadron was homosexual. In my work, it had never been an issue. People do their job or they don't do their job, and that's all I found important. After this interaction with this friend, I realized that I had been blessed with the easy path along this road, never having to worry about my families security because of my sexual preference. Never having to worry about which rights I was to be afforded in accordance with arbitrary opinion. Never having to be extremely selective about who I share personal details with. It made me think back to those times when everyone around would be trashing their wives/girlfriends, and this friend would be left out of the conversation, many times leaving the room because they were not able to be open about their life. I doubt 90% of the people around would've cared about sexual preference, but if only 1 person did, it could have lead to his being removed from a job and career that he loved.

Nice story.  And I agree.

I made a decision when I was younger and watched the stories of what people went through during the black civil rights movement that I would never be one of those people that sat on the side line if another group were being oppressed.

I too served with some people who opened up to me.  I can honestly say that they were some of the hardest (if not the hardest) workers there.  And they actually took some pride in their work, where I saw plenty of straight people acting like animals.  And by that I mean everything from doing a half ass job all the way up to sleeping around or cheating on their wife.

I've thought about how lucky I am too when it comes to this issue.  I can't begin to imagine what it must feel like to have to sneak around and hide who you are in hopes that you can land a job and keep it.  Or even to serve your country!!!  That's what bothers me.

Originally posted by DailyBuzz

Originally posted by Goldknyght

http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/185/don39t_ask_don39t_tell

So should the gays thank george bush since he has paved the way for we need bodies in the military vs. what there sexual preferance is?

 

I don't think it's so much an issue of "we need bodies" as it is a general gravitation toward acceptance. American culture is rapidly moving toward a progressive posture. Much of this is caused by forced association. People tend to cling to their misconceptions until they are forced into associating with others who hold different views. After this forced association, people tend to see that while differences in views exist, they really pose no threat to the daily lives of either one.

 

I have always considered myself an accepting person. When I was in the military, I was wrapping up some work one day when a friend stopped by my shop and asked me to grab lunch with him. We headed off to the mess hall on base and ate lunch, talking about random topics and bitching about work, when he suddenly says to me "you know I'm gay, right?". I was stunned, literally. Initially by his willingness to open up about a topic of such controversy at the time, but then I was stunned at the notion that this was a person that I had considered a friend, yet I apparently knew very little about on a personal level. How could this be? Was I not allowing myself to be fully invested in our friendship, or was he too afraid of being discharged to open up to anyone? This is what went through my head before I ever uttered the words "so what".

 

I had never once considered the possibility that anyone in my squadron was homosexual. In my work, it had never been an issue. People do their job or they don't do their job, and that's all I found important. After this interaction with this friend, I realized that I had been blessed with the easy path along this road, never having to worry about my families security because of my sexual preference. Never having to worry about which rights I was to be afforded in accordance with arbitrary opinion. Never having to be extremely selective about who I share personal details with. It made me think back to those times when everyone around would be trashing their wives/girlfriends, and this friend would be left out of the conversation, many times leaving the room because they were not able to be open about their life. I doubt 90% of the people around would've cared about sexual pr