The Cost of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

(CBS)  President Barack Obama has promised to repeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy relating to homosexual service members, but gays and lesbians are still being forced out of the military.

As CBS News correspondent Ross Palombo reports, even seasoned soldiers are losing their careers.

Amy Brian served in the Kansas National Guard for nine years. She fought in Iraq … and survived an IED attack.

Instead of being treated as a war hero, this second-generation soldier has been booted out - a victim of the government's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

"All of a sudden you wake up real quick and think, 'Oh, this is reality,'" she said.

She ran into trouble when a coworker saw her off-duty and out of uniform at Wal-Mart. That woman told the military: Brian was kissing her girlfriend.

Brian said she was later told, "You're being investigated for homosexual misconduct."

She insists everyone knew she was a lesbian, but nobody cared during combat. "I figured if no one asked me, that there wasn't a problem."

More than 12,500 gay and lesbian soldiers have been discharged since "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" began in 1993.

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a Washington-based nonprofit advocating an end to the military's policy, says that while discharges due to the policy have declined since the 9/11 attacks and the invasion of Iraq, women have been discharged in numbers that are disproportionate to their numbers in the military.

In a report published in 2003, SLDN stated that more than a third of the Army's discharges under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (36%) were women, who make up only 15% of the Army's total forces. Similarly, 34% of Coast Guard discharges were women, who make up only 7% of the Coast Guard.

The Kansas National Guard's top commander says it's his duty to investigate every accusation.

"When it is brought to our attention, we have to look into it," said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting.

A 2006 University of California Blue Ribbon Commission report determined that the total cost of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" between Fiscal Years 1994 and 2003, from training personnel who are subsequently discharged, was at least $363.8 million.

President Obama has promised to repeal the policy, but that would require Congressional approval, and it remains unclear exactly how he'll change the rules about gays in the military.

Change didn't come quickly enough for Brian, who had wanted to join the National Guard since she polished her father's boots as a young girl.

"I'm really hoping he sticks with that and comes through for us," Brian said. "For me, for a lot of other people out there."

[inachu1]

Why must gay demand sex be taught to 1st and second graders?

[snokomoranch]

Boo hoo hoo Amy! You never did grow up! As far as everyone deployed with you being fine with it, did you ever stop and ask them? I wager not! I was in the unit with Amy, I had moved units so did not deploy with her- but can tell you this- nobody was comfortable with Amy except Garst, who bent over backwards to give her everything her heart desired. She was not an outstanding soldier, and took every opportunity to flaunt her sexuality to boot. She was by no means quiet about her preferences, even having photos posted of her lover on her desk. And after all is said and done, true to form, she is now outing any other gay or lesbians she knows of in the Guard. So does this sound like a woman who is fighting for gay rights? No, she just wants her moment of fame. Please don't support her in her decisions (and it was her decision to behave this way in public- and she was in uniform as a side note- and in fact was very often behaving this way in public, in uniform). Please just ignore this woman, and don't make her a martyr for the cause- for it is not the cause she is worrying about, but only about herself (as only the selfish can do- let me put it this way- she has never gotten past stage two of development- look this up to understand more).

[batchitcrazy]

It's a paradox.... the military has lowered the standards required to sign up for service because not enough people are joining and they want to discharge some just because of their sexual orientation. No mention here that Amy Brian was a bad soldier or that this in anyway affected her work.
They would rather have someone with a questionable criminal background. Personally I would feel more comfortable to have her cover my back then one with a police record.

[batchitcrazy]

Christian hypocracy is amazing. They believe in God but do not think further. Maybe God put people with differant sexual preferences on the planet for e reason. Everyone has a purpose in life. Leave them alone so they may serve the purpose and accept that which God has given.
Intolerance is the real nightmare today.

[Nana_2_7]

Have any of you ever stopped to think that this is part of what is wrong with the world today? Every time I walk down the street with my husband hand in hand, I guess you could say we are "parading" our sexuality. Everyone deserves to be loved, and the last time I read the bible it told 'judge not lest ye be judged'. So what gives any of us the right to put this women down or kick her out of the military where she just risked her life to defend the rights and freedoms you are using trashing her .

[jimjus]

God is the one created the *** and straight, the hot and cold, the good and the bad, the ugly and the beauty, the happiness and the sadness. That is the way it should be, the ignorant people must accept the facts and live peacefully with everything they got.

[mensarino]

Unaware of straight outlandish public displays?How about Mardi Gras and spring break just to name a couple.
Would you want to be judged as a straight person based on the drunken debauchery displayed in those venues?
Not everyone,gay or straight, parties like that no matter the event involved.

[mensarino]

Obviously I am not surprised in your view.Just how would you deal with a gay child of your own.
Would you still love him/her?Would you guilt them and tell them they were doomed to hell if they didn't fake straight.Gay kids have very high suicide rates compared to their straight counterparts.The reason for this is unaccepting and uncaring parents.Would you be one of those types of parents?
Would you turn your back on your gay child and divorce him/her from your life if he didn't conform to YOUR version of right and wrong?
I am a psychologist and I have dealt with many such kids experiencing great psychological pain over these very same issues and it is heartbreaking to witness.

[tbspin]

You think this discussion is G A Y bashing? G A Ys bash society with their parades and public promiscuity and high risk life style risking exposure and spreading HIV and AIDS, if the truth be told, G A Ys are bashing society, not the other way around! Most people are perfectly content to keep their sexuality and orientation private behind closed doors, I have yet to be aware of any straight parades promoting their sexuality in a manner like the silly G A Y parades.

[tbspin]

tbspin---The difference is he or she would still love and accept the straight kids whereas no telling how you would react to a gay child......poor kid.

Posted by mensarino at 07:30 PM : Feb 23, 2009

Unfortunately there are too many homeless kids and so G A Y parents are an unfortunate choice, the lesser evil for a child who may not have a parent at all, in someone thinking G A Y is better than nothing, but that's debatable! I think kids should decide for themselves if they want G A Y exposure in their personal life after they reach and acceptable age and with the proper education about G A Ys first. Some could argue poor kid in that situation too. If I were a poor kid I think I would prefer the child shelter to be honest about it.