Commanders Turn Blind-Eye

Army Gays Out, Proud, Ready To Fight

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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.

Homo-journo Marc Haeringer reports:

In direct violation of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” Urmanita was deployed to Iraq in March–two weeks after she came out to her command. And challenging the belief that open homosexuality would undermine unit cohesion and morale in combat, Urmanita says being out has had no negative impact.

“My command seems to act as if I never came out to them,” Urmanita writes in an e-mail from Iraq. “Work is still the same, and off time didn’t change.”

When – not if – the Pentagon hears of Urmanita’s lesbianism, she’ll no doubt be kicked off the battalion she refers to as her “battle buddies”. Though hesitant at first, Urmanita’s now confident in her homo honesty:

I will take whatever consequences this article comes with, whether I do get discharged or I am kept in the Army. I want my story out.

Urmanita’s not the only one living her open secret.

Responding to rumors of his homosexuality, Army sergeant Darren Manzella decided to come out to his commanders. And, guess what, they weren’t worried:

…An official investigation into his sexual orientation was launched, but despite his own admission that he’s gay, which is by itself enough to trigger a discharge, Manzella’s command found no compelling evidence of his homosexuality and took no action.

The Army’s obviously out of step with the Pentagon – they’re one step ahead. Whether or not the leaders in Washington will realize the gays make good soldiers remains to be seen, but they’d do best by following the ground commander’s leads. Just like the gay soldiers dedicated to defending this country.

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