We met online, we met up at Starbucks and really just hit it off from the beginning. We started hanging out on the weekends, then after work off base. The more time we spent together, the more we realized that we couldn’t be apart. It is really risky to be in a homosexual relationship and be in the military. But once you have found that special someone you realize what really matters in life. There is a great risk, and we both realize that, but the love that we have for each other outweighs that risk. We are stationed at the same place. While I am deployed we try and keep in contact as much as possible. While talking on the phone, we have to speak in code to make sure that no one finds out. We never know who is listening. We mainly connect through personal e-mail.
—Kevin, an active duty Marine and member of OutServe, explaining how he keeps his engagement to another active duty solder under wraps [via]
Jem
Aww. That’s so sweet. Yet another reason DADT should be repealed.
Michael @ LeonardMatlovich.com
NOTA BENE:
“Personal e-mail” is not “personal” or protected if it is exchanged on a government-owned PC or even on your personally owned PC using a governement e-mail account.
FROM SLDN:
“Broadly speaking, modern technology is presenting new and greater risks for service members under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Many service members believe that all of their computer correspondence and online discussions are private. THEY ARE NOT. Statements of sexual orientation and information about gay activities obtained by military officials from computer drives (including personal computers in the barracks), disks, e-mail or online services have been used to investigate and discharge service members. This can occur during official screening of government computers and accounts as well as when a service member’s e-mail is printed out by a friend or coworker and turned into the military.
Work computers and government e-mail accounts (.mil addresses) are not confidential. Therefore, military members should never write personal letters or diaries on work computers, including authorized laptop computers used off base, or use .mil e-mail accounts for personal correspondence because both the computers and the accounts belong to the military and can be searched by the military without need for a warrant or permission from the service member. In addition to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell concerns, service members also risk punishment for misuse of government property if they use work computers for personal use, such as to write personal emails, chat online or view non-work-related Websites. Military computers and service members’ government network accounts are routinely screened for security reasons. Investigators have retrieved suspected gay service members’ e-mail and used the information to discharge the service members. Investigators have also used programs to retrieve deleted files in order to search the computers and disks of suspected gay service members. A service member’s personal computer kept off base GENERALLY cannot be searched without a warrant or permission from the service member. A SERVICE MEMBER SHOULD NEVER CONSENT to a search of his/her off-base non-government personal computer without first speaking with a SLDN attorney or a military defense attorney. AGAIN, NO WARRANT OR PERMISSION IS NEEDED TO SEARCH AND/OR SEIZE INFORMATION FROM A PRIVATE COMPUTER THAT IS ON BASE AND/OR IN THE BARRACKS.”
The Bony Man
I hope that soon DADT will be overturned and these two won’t have to hide.
J.
@Michael @ LeonardMatlovich.com:
STFU Michael BedWetter!!!! All you do is write these extremely long rants and raves about God knows whats and you expect people to actually read them? Is your life void of anything better to do? Are you Dan Choi? Because your obesession with him is scary! It’s like he can do no wrong. But every time someone says something about Dan, you start the name calling. Get a life. And believe it or not, there are plenty of gay veterans that don’t believe in Dan’s tactics. Are they any less patriotic because they aren’t on the Dan bandwagon? You don’t even have pics of yourself on your Facebook profile, so I’m assuming your are a fat,nasty,vile pig who hides behind pics of American flags and Leonard. GET A LIFE!
Lerro
The United States should make even more adjustments for this psychological political masturbation disease; and everyone should change everything . . . Just for them. Get the Dictionary ready!!