Friends,
A vet speaks out about DADT. He is a friend from Pa but wishes to remain anonymous.
CKM
I asked: How do you feel personally as a vet and a vet who is still active in vet affairs with this ruling?
His answer:

When I served, there were gays in the military. After time in a duty station... it was kind of common knowledge. I will admit, while I was in Vietnam, the idea didn't really surface. As far as I know...no one was open about it. Here is my problem with this.... I don't brag I am Hetro, Wicken, Hindu, Catholic or Hemorphodite. There are things you need not use as a suffix or prefix to who you are. I was Specialist or Sarge... and I did my job. They have to as well. DADT worked.... There was no need to declare anything but doing what was expected by the military. Now we passed this and with no more thought than maybe "2 down, 2 to go" mindset. Lets run down possible and I do mean possible scenarios..

1) Living in the barracks... maybe 3-4 man rooms.... and 2 are "lovers". Picture the problems with that set up. Do we have separate barracks/showering facilities for the Male and Female Gays?... Budget$$$

2) You are in a squad.... and maybe one or two are gay or even an "item". If you as a squad leader need to send one out on point or not recommend for promotion or awards.... can they say you did it because they are Gay or worse yet.... the "pair" in a firefight, will they be watching just their "backs" or will they step up for the whole squad. Just think of a married couple...a male and female.... in the squad and bullets fly. Do your loyalties lie in the safety of your wife or husband or is it for the good of the whole squad???

3) Only 10 states recognize gay marriage ( according to Barney...so far ) . Now...if there are bases in those 10 states... and the couple is "married"..now you deal with "family Housing". And then they get stationed in a state that doesn't recognize.... then what? Even the drinking laws were adjusted to 21... the max age of consuption in Civilian jurisdictions.... We use to be able to drink on post with no regard to age more than you are IN the military and had an ID card. Shortly after that, it was changed to the State Age limit and then...on to 21. ( I don't think an 17 or 18 yearold service person really worries about drinking anyway. Thought comes to mind... old enough to take another persons life and carry/utilize weapons that civilians aren't allowed to and NOT being able to have a beer, just bothers me... S-H-I-V-E-R-S....) Budget$$$$$

4) Military Social activities to include Company parties up to formal Military Balls. Picturing the dance partners. Maybe an officer with his "date"... again... promotion, assignments and award questions.????

5) As far as PDA ( Public Displays of Affection) that is frowned upon in many circumstances of military life beyond the departure and homecoming. Even a uniformed person or persons doing something as simple as holding hands can be a precursor to a verbal admonishment by superiors. There is even no fraternizing between Officer and Enlisted in many instances...although it occurs behind the scenes... I knew several officers who "dated" enlisted.... quietly.

I do believe that marriage is MAN and WOMAN ONLY. Our religious and Biological belief backs that. Straights are nicknamed "Breeders". and " be fruitful and multiply" seems like what God meant. I have a problem with children believing they have 2 Mommies or 2 Daddies. Growing up today is confusing enough IMHO. In the end, this will cause more problems than we have taken the time to actually admit. We will also have to BUDGET$$$$ to address this change and ways to implement it. I refuse to equate this as the same as the race issue or even a civil rights issue. I think we would have been better off following the Clinton Doctrine...asking many who served...there seemed to be no real problem. I DO have a problem with CIVILIANS trying to make the military like CIVILIAN. They are not nor should be.

If they want them to be the same..then have the MILITARY eliminate the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice) legal system. The Military system has the only system that ALLOWS DOUBLE JEOPARDY. You can be tried, for the same crime, in both...the military court and the Civilian Court for felonies and sentenced twice. Allow the military to "UNIONIZE". If you don't follow orders, all they could do is "FIRE" you, not charge you and give you Company Grade Punishment or worse yet a Court Marshall with possible Prison time...kinda like that recent officer who refused orders to a Combat Zone and now is serving time. MILITARY is NOT the cross section of society. They utilize people from the Cross Section but...they go to Basic or Boot to be MOLDED into the MILITARY LIFE. They are then expected to follow orders, that at times, can mean harm to themselves and to others. Go ahead and ask a civilian, beyond those trained as police or fire to risk their lives.... or to pick up a weapon and shoot at another human or even be told...you will be separated from your family for LONG periods of time... Yeah Right.

So in closing..... leave the MILITARY BE THE MILITARY and CIVILIANS BE CIVILIANS.... THEY ARE NOT THE SAME AND SHOULD NEVER BE. I talk to many who have retired from the military and MOST if not ALL, are glad they don't have this to deal with. It makes their jobs even more complicated and adds extra milestones to cross, when they just might need to concentrate on living. I see this as a disservice to the uniform. I say, serve if you want to, serve honorably, but your sexual or religious orientation is of no concern to me so...don't flaunt it. These are just my findings and opinions. Call me what you may, I don't care. I served with Gays.... and I have had Gay family members.... they never make it an issue so why make it one in the military. It can create hostility, further prejudices and will cost resources that we seem to NOT have.

" Two down....two to go!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0h5Vtke3OA

My memoriam for Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a holiday that is so different than the others. Christmas, Easter, and the rest of the holidays are festive occasions that are easy to greet someone with have a happy or merry or enjoy the holiday. But how do you greet someone for Memorial Day? After all it is a day of remembrance for those killed in war. Sadly Memorial Day is turning into a day that we associate with a long weekend, the kickoff to summer, the first picnics. Maybe we should have a memorial to remember what the true meaning of Memorial Day is..

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I know what the true meaning of Memorial Day is but I personally have expanded it to include any veteran who is no longer with us. I could make a blanket statement and say something like remember our veterans who have served and made a difference in this country. But instead I would like to honor one veteran in particular this Memorial Day. He didn't die in battle and hardly ever spoke of his duty in WWII but I know he served his country well and his involvement help shape who he was. He trained in Arkansas and was stationed in France. I frequently think of him. His name was Grandpa Maurer. He passed on about 17 years ago. A man of character and a huge heart who would help anyone. He frequently spoke of a great injustice that he tried so hard to petition the government to overturn. It was the Notch Baby law. When ever I hear that term I think of Grandpa Maurer's struggle. Any person that is cheated it is unfortunate but even more so when it is a veteran. Grandpa Maurer thank you for your service, you are not forgotten.

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I decided to expand the meaning of Memorial Day even further this year. This may seen like a contradiction of my first paragraph stating what Memorial Day is all about. If you think about it though, its really not a contradiction, because why did all those veterans serve and put their lives in harms way? To promote freedom and ultimately secure our freedom here at home. Its very sad that America is more than half way to being a socialist country. Daily it seems we lose another freedom and another God given right.
So the freedoms I would like to remember is the rights that were taken away from me, the freedom of being able to use my own house as I see fit to help a family member in need and my freedom of speech. I was told not to blog or write anymore hate mail. I never considered it hate mail. All I was doing was telling the truth about what was going on. America the land of the free..... and yet I had to spend a night in jail because of my decision to have my nephew stay in my house and the legal battle is still not over.
Our forefathers, fellow man, relatives, neighbors who were either drafted or volunteered to secure our freedoms only for our elected officials to take these freedoms away is tragic.

In memoriam to all who served and are no longer with us, veterans who gave their lives defending our freedom, Grandpa Maurer and our freedoms and God given rights that we have lost.


CKM