CBS/AP/ February 2, 2010, 9:57 AM

A Personal Look at "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

At a senate hearing Tuesday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen will unveil plans that could mark the beginning of the end of the policy that bans gays from serving openly in the military.

President Obama has said he wants to phase out the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy implemented under former President Bill Clinton.

Lt. Dan Choi, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point currently faces discharge for publicly announcing he's gay.

"I think it's a very healthy thing for people to be able to tell the truth and to come to terms with who they are. I think it's a sign of maturity," Choi told "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith.

"At my very first day at West Point, I learned that the honor code says a cadet will not lie, will not tolerate those who lie," said Choi. "They didn't say that a cadet who was gay could lie whereas straight cadets didn't have to lie."

Although recent polls show more acceptance of openly gay troops among younger generations in the U.S. Military, there is still some fierce opposition from the more senior members.

"I think that there are some people in the military that might have grown up in a different era, and they have fear, obviously, with the change," Choi told Smith. "My message to anybody in the military or anybody who is waking up and realizing that this might be a little bit scary for them: don't bet against our military. Don't assume that because you might be uncomfortable or certain people might be uncomfortable, that that translates to unprofessionalism or lack of discipline."

"Our soldiers are the best in the world, and we look all around the world and we see even in Israel and all of our allies in NATO, they have no problem with this."

"I think that when somebody makes a decision to join the military, they don't join the military because they're gay or they're straight or to be more straight or to be more gay. They do it because they believe in the values of our country, that it's worth protecting, and that's the reason why I joined," said Choi.

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revlin1 says:

It gets awfully tiring for a small minority group of people who really aren't minorities but rather have CHOSEN A LIFESTYLE AND BEHAVIOR to hold America hostage because they want to justify said choices/behavior. What is going on that we cannot keep the rules in place in military and not give more stress to the wartime deployed. As if it isn't tension enough in the environment of war and close quarters that now everyone would have to walk on eggshells due to the "feelings and perception" of these people who have convinced an impotent American media that THEIR rights need to prevail over the majority. ENUF ONCE AGAIN IS ENUF. Leave the policies in place. My two family members who just returned from MIDDLE EAST think it is disgraceful that the military would ever even consider such an idiotic move. What we do in our bedroom remains there;;;not discussion for water cooler, we don't wear HETEROSEXUAL as rights for employment, discrimination or not, and media bias do we? Give everyone a break and stop this nonsense and foolish reasoning and PUSH by journalists who have gone off deep end to TURN A GREAT COUNTRY INTO A WHIMPERING HAS BEEN.


avigil2 replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; Please get a clue (and some knowledge) that being gay is not a "chosen lifestyle and behavior". No one ever chooses to be gay, why would they? To be discriminated against for life? If it is a choice, when did YOU decide to become straight? You certainly have one thing right, "What we do in our bedroom remains there". It's no one else's business. Gay or straight, this has nothing to do with the integrity and honor of serving your country for the freedoms that we are so fortunate to have. It's too bad the US Military has been able to fire 10,500 men and women who want nothing more than to serve and defend our country.


WMUSMC replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; What is truly disgraceful is that the military could and has used the excuse of homosexuality to discharge perfectly qualified and, in most cases, overly qualified soldiers. Do you think your two relatives would think it disgraceful is the homosexual soldier watching his back who is a perfect marksman is discharged and he is left with someone less capable?!? I think not. We lost a lot of awesome Marines based on this idiotic rule and we are less of a unit for it. Most of them graduated at the top of our class in bootcamp and some with honors. The military should want to keep this capable and patriotic soldiers. As for walking on eggshells, NONE OF US were walking on eggshells when we served with our fellow gay Marines. In fact, in most cases, if we had a choice, we WANTED them to watch our backs when needed. As for turning this country into a "whimpering has been," you need to find another country if you think this would be the end of our great nation!

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riptide213 says:: Allowing uncomplicated nonpunitive administrative self initiated US military service obligation termination rights to all heterosexual service members as offered under present DoD DADT policy must be a fundamental underpinning of any new DoD openly gay and lesbian active duty, reserve, or guard workforce policy.

US military is an All Volunteer Force.

Homosexuals and bisexuals have, are, and will always be serving their country with distinction in the finest traditions of military professionalism.

Homosexual or bisexual citizens who volunteer to seek out and serve in US military know current DADT policy thus can opt to obligate themselves to initially serve, continue to serve, or once committed decide for themselves how not serve their country under these well known, by law organizational rules.

Currently under DADT a homosexual or bisexual military member can self initiate a legal separation from military service by if, how, or when they choose to express their sexuality or simply self identify themselves under DADT, thankfully most do not elect to utilize this option.

However any equitable change to current DADT policy must be directly linked to a reciprocal legal separation option for any and all serving heterosexual military members who no longer desire to serve their country in a new openly gay and lesbian permitting All Volunteer Force.

Explicit nonpunitive administrative self initiated legal options to forsake All Volunteer Force contracts must be equally provided to any and all existing service personnel who no longer wish to serve in the new openly gay and lesbian US military.

Degrees of a volunteers personal sacrifice or hardship regarding military service and sexuality is unique thus must be respected with equal value.

If regulations and Uniform Code of Military Justice law are to be rewritten and modernized to permit complete open sexuality, are we ready to rewrite all corresponding military regulations, policies, traditions or taboos restricting any gender mix and match cohabitation or unisex access?

Woman in all military occupational specialties, no exceptions thus full combat roles?

How about modernizing current US military draft legislation to include female citizens?

How about nationalized US military conscription?

Overabundance of military related policies worthy of updating, why just focus on DADT?; reply

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hakori says:: chipsmydog, for God's sake! How many frickin times do we have to remind you people this isn't a theocracy!!!! You religious fundamentalists, evangelicals or whatever you call yourselves have unbridled arrogance when it comes to your precieved right to force you religious views on the rest of the nation! Enough already!!!!; reply

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hakori says:: joe1022joe, is bigotry a requirement for being a conservative? This so-called social experiment you speak of is being conducted in Canada, Britian and Isreal. You know Isreal...the country who has to deal with terrorism almost on a daily basis. And guess what, it's working just fine. Their militaries haven't imploded; their soldiers haven't all turned gay; moral is just fine. You people on the right talk about gay-Americans like they aren't even people, much less tax paying American citizens who should be entitled to the same rights you take for granted. I'll tell you what isn't in the best interest of our nation: people with bigoted backwards attitudes like you!; reply

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chipsmydog says:

A person finds hope in Jesus Christ. He is "the way, truth, and the Life."
Don't let lust determine your eternal destiny. This applies to every one.

Receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and receive the free gift of life and life forever through Him.

"The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rm 6.23


hakori replies:: linkicon reporticon emailicon; chipsmydog, we get it. You don't like gay people based on your religious intrepretation. That's fine, but this is a democracy not a theocracy. If we followed the literal intrepretaion of your Bible, slavery would still be legal.