Should Openly Gay And Lesbian People Be Allowed In The Military?

[Susan Caldwell]

At a time when our best and brightest are so urgently needed in the armed forces, it's shocking that we would continue to try and kick so many of them out. I heard one of the police officers at the protest this morning ask another one, "You mean, they're not satisfied with the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy? I would want that officer to consider what her life would be like if she had to go to work every day and be careful not to share some of the most basic details of her daily life: her husband's identity (forget placing that family portrait on the desk!), what she did over the weekend, etc. I would hope she could imagine for just a moment what her working life would be like, in a job already as high-stress as hers, if in addition to that stress she had to worry, every moment, who might find out about her private life, and whether or not that person would be supportive or cause the immediate loss of her job. Family support is one thing that the military often does very well. I can say this after 20 years as an Air Force wife, where I always knew I had a network of friends to look out for me. In order to be the most effective force possible, the military should be able to look out for ALL its families, without regard to their composition.

Thanks for listening,
Susan Caldwell