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| The Slow Funeral March of DADT |
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| Opinion - Global Warning | |||
| Lisa Jain Thompson | |||
| Sunday, 27 March 2011 09:00 | |||
 Fairfax, VA, USA. Despite what you may have read from various media sources looking to stir up their readers and increase the number of unique users who read their articles, the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell continues with all due diligence by the respective Services.A Service Member’s sexual orientation will soon become a personal and private matter, not an area of Service concern. [N1] Army Staff is currently receiving instruction in the brave new, post DADT world. And since Department of Defense policy extends to all members of Army Staff, I too will receive guidelines as to how I will deal with all the gay and lesbian service members I might meet in the future. As stated, 60 days after certification of the repeal, sexual orientation will be considered a personal and private matter. All Service rules and policies, and the enforcement of those rules and policies will be sexual orientation neutral. Service standards of conduct will apply equally to all Service Members regardless of sexual orientation. All Service Members are held to the same high standards of conduct – straight, gay or otherwise oriented.The law is the law and we will all follow the law or we will leave the Army (or the Navy, or the Air Force, or the Marines or the Coast Guard). We will treat all Service Members with dignity and respect and foster a climate of mutual respect consistent with our standards of professional conduct and our core values. [N2] At the end of the day, when DADT is no more, sexual orientation will no longer be a factor in accession, promotion, or personnel decision making. The Uniform Code of Military Justice, however, will remain in effect for the enforcement of proper conduct.
As things are scheduled, the Department of Defense should be in a position to certify their readiness to repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell by the Fall of this year (2011). There is still work to be done, however; the Army alone must revise close to thirty regulations. But as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was always all about Sexual Orientation, transgender and transsexual individuals will not be permitted to join the Military Services. The DADT repeal will have no effect on these policies. I suspect the underlying reasons that transsexuals are not permitted to join are twofold. First and foremost are the medical reasons. Transsexuality is still not covered by most health insurance. The surgery is specialized and expensive, the transition time rather lengthy before one can resume their active duties. The Services simply want to avoid medical uncertainties concerning their Service Members and, perhaps more importantly, not open themselves up to new recruits whose only goal in the service is to have the government pay for their sex reassignment surgery. A second possible reason is the recent appearance of transgendered men using a claim of being Non-Op Transsexuals to explain and cover-up habitual cross-dressing. It easier and cleaner for the Department of Defense to ban transgender and transsexual individuals than get caught in a socio-political sticky trap. But I can find no such prohibition for enlistment by a man or woman with a transsexual history who has fully transitioned. Post-Op, they are simply women or men – not transsexual - and, if they meet the physical standards for their post-transition sex, I suspect there is no legal reason for the Services to refuse them. Men and Women with a transsexual history are not transgendered and they certainly are not cross-dressers. If they can pass the physical standards, so be it. The Services, and the world at large, however, are not ready to deal with transgendered men and women, crossdressers, or transvestites day to day. The hard grunt work to change people’s minds has not yet begun. [N3] The future is clear. Upon certification and after the 60 day waiting period, statements about sexual orientation will not be a bar to military service or admission to Service academies, ROTC or any other accession program. Applicants will not be asked, or required to reveal, their sexual orientation. Upon repeal, former members solely discharged under DADT may apply for re-entry; they will be evaluated according to the same criteria and Service requirements applicable to all others seeking re-entry into the military. Service members who refuse to serve under an openly gay commander will be counseled, disciplined, or involuntarily separated if they who fail to obey established standards. Leaders will be expected to take corrective or disciplinary action to preserve morale, good order and discipline and unit cohesion. [N4] All service members will be treated equally, regardless of sexual orientation. Harassment or abuse for any reason has always been unacceptable and will be dealt with through command or inspector general channels. Segregation by sexual orientation will be prohibited. [N5] And if the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is overturned, the Services, one and all, will follow the law. We’ve won. Get used to it. And, oh, by the way, serve your country. Y’all’ve made enough noise demanding the right to serve openly. Now do it. Here are the URLs• U.S. Air Force
• U.S. Army • U.S. Coast Guard • U.S. Marines • U.S. Navy Notes[N1] The legislation that repeals Don't Ask, Don't Tell goes into effect, however, only after the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs all certify that the Department of Defense is ready to make this change consistent with the standards of military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention of the Armed Forces.
Until 60 days after certification, the law commonly known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell remains in effect, and the Department of Defense will continue to apply the law as it is obligated to do. Service Members who alter their personal conduct during this period may face adverse consequences for themselves and others. [N2] The Army Core Values are Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage. [N3] Whining how unfair life is does not, in itself, change anything. The long slow sludge of grunt work that precedes change must still be accomplished. Life is unfair until it is otherwise. [N4] The Chaplain Corps’ First Amendment freedoms and duty to care for all will not change. When chaplains perform religious ceremonies in the context of their faith groups, they do so in accordance with the dictates of their faith traditions. [N5] Service Members will continue to be eligible for world-wide assignment without consideration of sexual orientation; changes to assignment policy are not necessary. All service members will abide by the guidance provided by their local commanders, regarding host nation laws and cultural norms.
 Ms. Lisa Jain Thompson is a Co-Founder & Principal of TS-Si. She also serves as a Contributing Editor and columnist for the TS-Si website. She maintains another site, StarPoet.com, for her poetry and literary works.Ms. Thompson's signed articles contain her own opinions and do not necessarily convey an official position of TS-Si, its partners, or affiliates. Lisa welcomes your comments. Use the form below or email via her TS-Si Contact Page. We will not divulge any personal details or place you on a mailing list without your permission.
 The TS-Si News Service is a collaborative effort by TS-Si.org editors, contributors, and corresponding institutions. The sources can include the cited individuals and organizations, as well as TS-Si.org staff contributions. Articles and news reports do not necessarily convey official positions of TS-Si, its partners, or affiliates.We welcome your comments. Use the form below to leave a public comment or send private correspondence via the TS-Si Contact Page. We will not divulge any personal details or place you on a mailing list without your permission. TS-Si is dedicated to the acceptance, medical treatment, and legal protection of individuals correcting the misalignment of their brains and their anatomical sex, while supporting their transition into society as hormonally reconstituted and surgically corrected citizens. To create link towards this article on your website, copy and paste the text below in your page. Preview :
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| Last Updated on Saturday, 26 March 2011 23:19 |
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