Women Discharged Disproportionately Under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

In yet another look at the unequal application of Don't Ask, Don't Tell to women in the Military, the Houston Chronicle has a story that shows just how outrageous the situation truly is. I know in this area, there seems to be a conscious effort to discharge lesbians, particularly careers officers, shortly before retirement so as to wipe out their pension benefits. One close friend lived in constant fear that something would happen before she completed her twenty years. Fortunately, she made it and is now safely retired. All of this demonstrates why this foul, unfair policy needs to go and go soon. The bottom line is that there is NO legitimate reason for the policy other than to pander to the Christianists who strive to maintain discrimination against gays based on religious belief in effect. Something that should be unconstitutional in itself. Here are some highlights:

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Today marks the 30th anniversary of Houston's Gay Pride Parade. During those three decades the lot of gays and lesbians has improved immeasurably, but the same cannot be said of those serving in the armed forces. In 2007, discharges under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy rose to 627 highly skilled and valuable personnel, up from 612 the year before. More disturbing, Pentagon statistics reveal that almost half of those discharged by the Army (46 percent) and Air Force (49 percent) were women. As only 14 percent of Army troops and 20 percent of Air Force personnel are women, this represents a startling disparity between the sexes.

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The military did not volunteer these data. They were compiled under a Freedom of Information Act request by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a military advocacy group. The Pentagon had no explanation for the sharp disparity, nor did it seem inclined to pursue the matter. . . . That's unfortunate and irresponsible.

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Since the start of the Iraq war, the military has lowered its standards drastically. It now offers large cash bonuses at enlistment, has loosened age and weight requirements, and grants "moral waivers" to recruits with criminal pasts, including thousands of felons. Yet it insists on a discriminatory policy that results in the loss of dedicated career personnel with valuable skills.

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"I wonder about that when I'm in court fighting my discharge," said Stacy Vasquez, an Army recruiter in Dallas in 2003 when she was discharged after someone reported she had been seen kissing a woman in a gay bar. "I have no criminal record, I have a master's degree and 12 years of experience. You'd think the Pentagon would be concerned about this when they have problems recruiting qualified applicants."

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The logical next step would be for Congress to repeal "don't ask, don't tell," a course favored by many senior former officers. Most European countries, including Great Britain, have lifted their bans on gay soldiers, with no ill effects, and four out of five American soldiers feel comfortable with gay comrades.