Military to honor gay and lesbian servicemembers during the month of June
Last summer, gays in the military dared not acknowledge their sexual orientation. This summer, the Pentagon will salute them, marking June as gay pride month just as it has marked other celebrations honoring racial or ethnic groups.
In the latest remarkable sign of change since the military repealed the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, the Defense Department will soon hold its first event to recognize gay and lesbian troops. It comes nine months after repeal of the policy that had prohibited gay troops from serving openly and forced more than 13,500 service members out of the armed forces.
This month’s event will follow a long tradition at the Pentagon of recognizing diversity in America’s armed forces. Hallway displays and activities, for example, have marked Black History Month and Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month.
Before the repeal, gay troops could serve but couldn’t reveal their orientation. If they did, they would be discharged. At the same time, a commanding officer was prohibited from asking a service member whether he or she was gay.
Although some feared repeal of the ban on serving openly would cause problems in the ranks, officials and gay advocacy groups say no big issues have materialized — aside from what advocacy groups criticize as slow implementation of some changes, such as benefit entitlements to troops in same-sex marriages.
Panetta said last month that military leaders had concluded that repeal had not affected morale or readiness. A report to Panetta with assessments from the individual military service branches said that as of May 1 they had seen no ill effects.
“I don’t think it’s just moving along smoothly, I think it’s accelerating faster than we even thought the military would as far as progress goes,” said Air Force 1st Lt. Josh Seefried, a finance officer and co-director of OutServe.
He said acceptance has been broad among straight service members and has put a spotlight on unequal treatment that gays continue to receive in some areas. “We are seeing such tremendous progress in how much the military is accepting us, but not only that — in how much the rank and file is now understanding the inequality that’s existing right now,” he said.
Sounds good to me….wonder how this is playing out with the chickenhawks on Planet Wingnut?
Oh gee, a guy who’s a spokesperson for a group that advocated the repeal says that there’s ‘widespread acceptance among straight servicemembers’? Well that’s just SWELL! I feel so much better! Let’s ignore stories of gay sexual harrassment of straight servicemembers that are coming out now.
When I joined in 1990, it was prohibited. While I served, Klinton made it optional. I left before it became mandatory.
quikstrike98 on June 14, 2012 at 9:54 PMCan someone tell me what the point of a gay pride month (or parade, or march, or whatever) is supposed to be, exactly? They’re proud…great. Why does it have to be a ‘thing’, though?
I don’t care about gay marriage or gays serving in the military, but having the Pentagon endorse gay pride anything is ridiculous.
changer1701 on June 14, 2012 at 9:56 PMNo place for this nonsense. The greatest military in the world has it’s head up its rear…..and seems to enjoy the feeling.
Hening on June 14, 2012 at 10:00 PMLast summer, gays in the military dared not admit their sexual orientation. This summer, the Pentagon will salute them, marking June as gay pride month just as it has marked other celebrations honoring racial or ethnic groups.
Make it all stop. Please. Now.
Buy Danish on June 14, 2012 at 10:03 PMBottoms up!
SouthernGent on June 14, 2012 at 10:03 PM
This can’t be true, seriously?I’m speechless…
ccrosby on June 14, 2012 at 10:03 PMI hope this is what everyone who advocated the repeal of DADT wanted. The big proponents on this site, folks who called themselves ‘Conservative’, swore up and down that this was not about elevated them above everyone else but to merely give them equal footing.
Right. Just what the military needed.
hawkdriver on June 14, 2012 at 10:04 PMThe destruction of our military cohesiveness continues.
FirelandsO3 on June 14, 2012 at 10:05 PMNo real issue? Wait ‘til your NCOIC starts eyeballing your hindquarters. Wait ‘til boyfriend/boyfriend drama crops up in battle. Wait ‘til the sexually transmitted disease rates start rising.
OhioCoastie on June 14, 2012 at 10:07 PMThis is just sick.
BTW, where is White History Month?
JPeterman on June 14, 2012 at 10:08 PMRight. Just what the military needed.
hawkdriver on June 14, 2012 at 10:04 PMIt ain’t how I remembered the military. I am stunned.
arnold ziffel on June 14, 2012 at 10:09 PMThe Armed Forces should not be in the business of This kind of stuff.
catmman on June 14, 2012 at 9:54 PMWait until homosexuals start getting those nice ‘diversity’ promotions, over better qualified straights.
Because it’s going to happen, if it hasn’t already.
Rebar on June 14, 2012 at 10:10 PMAnd the slide into the destruction of Western Civ continues….sickening but not surprising…amazing how 2 percent of the population has been able to sucker the majority into believing that homosexuality is natural and beautiful…..
Give it time…next will be beastility and polygamy and pedophilia…..pandora’s box has been open….
Enjoy your destruction liberals and libertarians….
Albertanator on June 14, 2012 at 10:11 PMBTW, where is White History Month?
january, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December.
lostmotherland on June 14, 2012 at 10:13 PMI’m so sick of the military being a social petri-dish for societies central planners.
‘Hey we’re all green, we’re all the same.’
Cue:
Black history month
Womens history month
Hispanic history month
Homosexual awareness month
If we’re all the fecking same why do we keep celebrating our differences!!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable
Meat Fighter on June 14, 2012 at 9:47 PMIs theree an Asian history month? Irish, Italian, anyone left out?…what the heck are they going to do when they run out of calendar months to celebrate this or that minority?….and who the heck care anyways, let them celebrate whatever they want, when they want it within their minorities/groups….but what is the point for this idiotic so called national ‘recognition’ …I live in friggin Kalifornia, like I need any reminder that I am surrounded by all sorts of ‘minorities’ black, hispanic, gay ( that btw some are are actually soon majorities)….
jimver on June 14, 2012 at 10:14 PM
…I’m looking forward to master-bait-ion month!
Look what’s happened in 3 years with President Blame’s crew…and he needs another term because of the headwinds? Great!(and he’s been ‘holding back’ since he has one more election to win)
KOOLAID2 on June 14, 2012 at 10:18 PMwhen the whites will be a minority (soon to happen) in the US, I am looking forward to celebrate the White History month :) complete with us being called racists and all :)….
jimver on June 14, 2012 at 10:18 PMCan’t wait to see the parade.
ccrosby on June 14, 2012 at 10:18 PMnothing like a gay pride thread to bring out the right wing bigots aka mainstream republicans
DBear on June 14, 2012 at 10:20 PMKlinger must be solo proud!!!!
SayNo2-O on June 14, 2012 at 10:21 PM
The Pentagon should get back into winning wars and training troops, and get out of the social engineering projects.Romancing the fruits is not a military objective.
savage24 on June 14, 2012 at 10:22 PMElection year political pandering. If the White House changes hands following this year, look for a massive backlash to the current policy from the uniform services. This could get very ugly.
flackcatcher on June 14, 2012 at 10:23 PMBecause nothing says military leadership and national defense like a penis
where it doesn’t belong.
Brad on June 14, 2012 at 10:24 PMNow that the federal government runs health care, they have incentive to encourage us to make good health choices.
So why are they constantly celebrating a dangerous & unhealthy lifestyle like homosexuality?
Homosexuals die younger.
They commit domestic violence more often.
They are more likely to have STDs.
They are more likely to need psychiatric help.
The are more suicidal.
‘But the last two are because of persecution!’
Atheists, Muslims, Christians, Amish, Jews, & lots of other groups get similarly harassed, without the higher levels of those maladies.
itsnotaboutme on June 14, 2012 at 10:25 PMJust like when Obowma approved of gay marriage…
… This will probably hurt him in the polls as well.
You want to be gay, fine…
… Just don’t shove it down our throats and declare yourselves a protected priviledged class.
It might not have the consequences that you were planning on…
Seven Percent Solution on June 14, 2012 at 10:26 PMMainstreaming gross immorality is the only way to secure a prosperous and peaceful future for the United States of America.
tom daschle concerned on June 14, 2012 at 10:27 PMThe term ‘gay pride’ is revolting. How can any man be proud of taking another man’s genitals into his mouth or anus? Homosexuality is a mental disorder.
garnkikaloid on June 14, 2012 at 10:27 PMYep, and that requires a separate track for performance measurement to ensure that the chosen ones move along the track.
Shouldn’t at least one of the Joint Chiefs be gay?
slickwillie2001 on June 14, 2012 at 10:27 PMNext the gays in the military will phase out our National Anthem and replace it with YMCA by the Village People.
RedRobin145 on June 14, 2012 at 10:27 PM
That’s just a sampling from HotAir.com. I’m not even going to waste my time or yours by posting what is being said at places like Fox Nation.