Military readiness and the mental well-being of soldiers is why Pentagon officials aren't budging much Don't Ask Don't Tell, right? Even though the military's own research shows gay soldiers aren't a problem? Oh, and this: even enlisted soldiers don't give a shit about serving with gays.

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QUEERTY YEAR IN REVIEW — Months after admitting to superiors that he was gay and showing them videotape of him making out with his boyfriend, Sergeant Darren Manzella found himself still in the Army.

Although ultimately Manzella, like so many others, ended up booted from the military branch, that it took the brass so long to can him shows that enthusiasm for the Pentagon's long-standing "don't ask, don't tell" policy is waning.

Looking to raise awareness, Manzella went on 60 Minutes last year.

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CBS' 60 Minutes will this Sunday rerun a report looking at Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Gay soldier Darren Manzella's appeared on camera during the segment, and got sacked as a result.

Darren Manzella is one brave soldier!

The Iraqi veteran made waves when he came out on 60 Minutes last year, a big no no considering the military's ban on openly gay soldiers. Despite the hubbub, Manzella returned to active duty and, at the time, it seemed that the government had no plans of ousting him. Unfortunately that was not the case and Manzella received his walking papers last week.

While the military brass didn't approve of Manzella's man-loving, he says his peers didn't seem to mind. On the contrary – they were "proud!"

After my appearance on 60 Minutes I received a lot of support from most of my colleagues. Some were surprised that I made such a public statement but told me that they were proud of me for standing up for people who could not speak out. To them, I was still SERGEANT Manzella though. I really didn’t notice a change in how I was treated or viewed.

Many of my peers and co-workers voiced to me that they felt it was unfair that I was being discharged. They felt, as many people in our military and society feel, that an able and competent soldier should be retained especially in this time when we are fighting two wars and need every capable man and woman who is willing to put on a uniform and serve their country.

The Republicans, of course, fail to see Manzella's logic.

The United State Army today ousted Darren Manzella, the Iraq veteran who came out on 60 Minutes. [AP]

Don't Ask, Don't Tell doesn't just hurt soldiers. It hurts their families, as well.

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The Pentagon ain't about telling. Not when it comes to Don't Ask, Don't Tell, at least.

Soldier Darren Manzella broke new ground by coming out on 60 Minutes. While one would expect some repurcussions for such a public rejection of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Manzella says he's been greeted by official – and welcome – silence. What's more: he's learned he's not alone:

"I thought I would at least be asked about the segment or approached and told I shouldn't speak to the media again," says Manzella, 30, a medic who recently returned from Kuwait and plans to hold a news conference today in Washington to discuss the military's silence.

He says he is among a growing number of servicemembers who have told other troops and even commanders they are gay and have not been discharged.
…
Manzella says he was invited to join more than 600 members of an invitation-only MySpace group, Guys and Gals Like Us, for gays who don't hide their orientation from their units. The members use pseudonyms because some gay servicemembers have been discharged for acknowledging their sexual orientation elsewhere online.
…
"A lot of servicemembers are getting 'wink-wink' treatment from their commanders," says Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara…

While the military establishment keeps mum, rabble-rousing Elaine Donnelly from the Center for Military Readiness wants military injustice: "[Manzella's] commanders should be disciplined appropriately for failing to do their duty." Said commanders have yet to return Donnelly's call.

It's a very happy holiday for out sergeant Darren Manzella! Servicemembers Legal Defense Network tell us that the openly gay sergeant returned home to the United States yesterday:

Sergeant Manzella arrived back in the United States yesterday with his unit, returning from a long tour in Kuwait. He got back to his base in the States yesterday, safe and sound.

As you can imagine, his CBS appearance on Sunday has caused quite the buzz among his fellow troops, but Darren reports to SLDN that he's received an overwhelmingly positive response from many people – both inside and out of the armed forces – who have contacted him to offer support and congratulations. (And we've been passing along your messages to Darren, too. You can still email him at darren@sldn.org.)

Now, of course, Darren's thoughts are turning to the upcoming holidays. And, we're happy to report, it looks like he'll likely be able to spend Christmas at home with parents and siblings, who are all immensely proud of him.

That warms the cockles of our heart.

• Recently arrested hustler Cody Castagna's mug shot makes us wonder why Republican Richard Curtis would hire him in the first place.

• Zoe Leonard's 1992 "I Want A President" still resonates.

• Did Canada's New Democratic Party drop a lawyer for being trans?

• HX editor Brandon Voss talks gay with Friday Night Lights' Kyle Chandler for The Advocate. The gays apparently urged Chandler to try the theatrical arts. Figures…

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CBS' long-running 60 Minutes spends at least some of this Sunday's time exploring the ins and outs of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. In addition to exploring Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Leslie Stahl sits down with Darren Manzella, the army sergeant who unceremoniously came out last June. From SLDN:

Manzella tells Stahl that he has received overwhelming support from both his fellow soldiers and superiors since coming out last year. Stahl’s report also looks at SLDN’s work in assisting service personnel such as Manzella, and the organization’s campaign to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
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“Sergeant Manzella’s story illustrates the arbitrary and uneven enforcement of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’” said SLDN executive director Aubrey Sarvis. “Many commands, like Manzella’s, recognize that their lesbian and gay troops are instrumental in the work of defending our country."

Manzella recounts to Stahl how his commander called him into the office to investigate his queer disclosure. Despite Manzella's admission and pictures of his boyfriend, the military man simply told him to get back to his duties. "I was told to go back to work. There was no evidence of homosexuality. [My superior said,] You’re not gay." Another once said, "I don't care if you're gay or not." Someone tell Condi to tune in…

The Pentagon remains firm in implementing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell', the discriminatory anti-gay policy put forth by President Bill Clinton. The Advocate, however, found that the army isn't asking, even if their soldiers are telling.

We've all heard of Jason Knight, the Seaman discharged for being gay only to be reenlisted twice before being booted again. Now a 20-year old lesbian named Karissa Urmanita's come forward to fight the good, gay fight.

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