NCO Blogger Comes Out For Don't Ask Don't Tell

Is an Openly Gay Military a Policy That Should Go Back in the Closet?

Despite the fact that gays in the military have been openly celebrated since Top Gun was released more than 20 years ago, Don't Ask Don't Tell remains in effect to this day. Obama has suggested scrapping the controversial policy and allowing homosexuals to openly serve, which I agree with. Civilian media and policy wonks will most likely make the mistake of talking to retired Generals about what effect this will have on the Armed Forces, when they should be talking to retired NCOs. Former generals are the go-to guys for strategic/tactical policy, but NCOs are in charge of the discipline and welfare of the armed forces, so they will have a better idea of how this policy affects day-to-day operations. That's why I'm pleased to see that CJ at A Soldier's Perspective has penned a lengthy piece on DADT (a senior enlisted soldier):

And where does it end? Where do we draw the moral line in the sand when it comes to acceptable behavior? How, as a First Sergeant, do I deal with a male Soldier who dresses like a female? Which uniform do I issue him/her? Does a transgendered Soldier get graded on the male APFT standards or the female APFT standards? Does he/she get to choose? If that is the case, everyone should get to choose. When it comes to grading the APFT, I can just suddenly decide I'm a woman for a day so that I get a higher score. When I do an in-ranks inspection, how do I deal with a male Soldier showing up in a skirt and pumps? Which latrine does he/she use? Where do I put them in the barracks? Can a transgendered female who became a male go into the Infantry Branch? Armor? Other areas that deny women to serve?

I know CJ is LDS and strongly religious, which is very common in the military. Most active-duty personnel do not support ending DADT either. So, opponents of DADT need to understand the servicemembers' mentality before jumping in head first and labeling everyone bigots. And if they utilize the anti-Prop 8 tactics of beating people up and publishing their home addresses, they probably aren't going to do very well with that strategy either.