Unless you're involved with the U.S. Military in one way or another, the significance of today may pass you by. Today is a day eighteen years in the making to undo an injustice that was legislated in the name of a political compromise. President Clinton signed into law a bill now infamously known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don't_ask,_don't_tell
http://www.npr.org/2011/09/20/140605121/with-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-an-era-ends
In 1993, under Defense Department Directive 1332.14 later codified into Title 10 U.S.C. § 654, the law in full name was "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue", but that last part was conspicuously left off as witch hunts that this law was designed to stop continued to flourish through misuse and abuse of the policy. Under it's reign, the combined Services lost well over 13,000 talented individuals, who did nothing more than to let their orientation be known by either on purpose or on accident. Arguably, without this law that paved the way for Service involuntary discharges, it did much more harm than good. Even the original author of the law, now dead, was later quoted as saying it was a temporary compromise and never should have been left permanently in law.
Personally I have lived under the thumb of this rule my entire career. In fact, even before my career took off, I was forced to sign a statement acknowledging the policy. At that time, I didn't even know what I was signing or the significance it would hold. After I entered the Army, I studied the policy and knew the rules inside and out. We had annual training classes which included the policy; the PowerPoint presentations even gave us a handy acronym to understand what was prohibited: SAM (Statements about your orientation, Actions of prohibited conduct, and Marriage to or attempt to marry a person of the opposite gender). It all seemed like a nice little legislative package where everyone was happy and there were no problems. But that was far from reality.
Everywhere I went, I carried business cards with me from the Servicemember's Legal Defense Network (SLDN) to give to fellow Service Members whenever I met one. (http://www.sldn.org) I even went so far as to place them at local bars and clubs so the naive and those ignorant of the policy knew their rights. For years, I found the loopholes and kept my personal life completely separate from my work. I even endured several "informal investigations" by rogue commanders who had heard rumors and decided to do some (albeit illegal) investigations of their own outside of what the policy legally allows. As I said, I've been smart throughout my career, and those spotlights died down with lack of credible evidence and with the threat of the Inspector General.
And here I am today, looking at the end of the policy under which I have lived for my entire Military career. Even to this day while deployed, I still carry the SLDN cards in my wallet. I suppose I can take them out now. And what of the contract addendum in my computer archived permanent file? Will it magically disappear or will it follow me as a legacy document from a time less friendly? And what has changed for me now? Very little unfortunately as the removal of a law does not change attitudes. That will take some time, and probably not before my career is through. In any case, I can clean out my wallet and marry the person I love without repercussions. I guess a little has changed for me as that small fear I always carried around with me can no longer own me.
More to follow.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don't_ask,_don't_tell
http://www.npr.org/2011/09/20/140605121/with-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-an-era-ends
In 1993, under Defense Department Directive 1332.14 later codified into Title 10 U.S.C. § 654, the law in full name was "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue", but that last part was conspicuously left off as witch hunts that this law was designed to stop continued to flourish through misuse and abuse of the policy. Under it's reign, the combined Services lost well over 13,000 talented individuals, who did nothing more than to let their orientation be known by either on purpose or on accident. Arguably, without this law that paved the way for Service involuntary discharges, it did much more harm than good. Even the original author of the law, now dead, was later quoted as saying it was a temporary compromise and never should have been left permanently in law.
Personally I have lived under the thumb of this rule my entire career. In fact, even before my career took off, I was forced to sign a statement acknowledging the policy. At that time, I didn't even know what I was signing or the significance it would hold. After I entered the Army, I studied the policy and knew the rules inside and out. We had annual training classes which included the policy; the PowerPoint presentations even gave us a handy acronym to understand what was prohibited: SAM (Statements about your orientation, Actions of prohibited conduct, and Marriage to or attempt to marry a person of the opposite gender). It all seemed like a nice little legislative package where everyone was happy and there were no problems. But that was far from reality.
Everywhere I went, I carried business cards with me from the Servicemember's Legal Defense Network (SLDN) to give to fellow Service Members whenever I met one. (http://www.sldn.org) I even went so far as to place them at local bars and clubs so the naive and those ignorant of the policy knew their rights. For years, I found the loopholes and kept my personal life completely separate from my work. I even endured several "informal investigations" by rogue commanders who had heard rumors and decided to do some (albeit illegal) investigations of their own outside of what the policy legally allows. As I said, I've been smart throughout my career, and those spotlights died down with lack of credible evidence and with the threat of the Inspector General.And here I am today, looking at the end of the policy under which I have lived for my entire Military career. Even to this day while deployed, I still carry the SLDN cards in my wallet. I suppose I can take them out now. And what of the contract addendum in my computer archived permanent file? Will it magically disappear or will it follow me as a legacy document from a time less friendly? And what has changed for me now? Very little unfortunately as the removal of a law does not change attitudes. That will take some time, and probably not before my career is through. In any case, I can clean out my wallet and marry the person I love without repercussions. I guess a little has changed for me as that small fear I always carried around with me can no longer own me.
More to follow.
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