NATO vs. the USA

Gregory Herek, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California at Davis, and on his blog, Beyond Homophobia, Dr. Herek shares his thoughts about sexual prejudice and its relationship to cultural events and public policy.

Last week the Norwegian Parliament passed legislation legalizing gay marriage. This week Dr. Herek looks at the Norwegian example noting that every NATO nation which has recognized gay relationships (in marriage, civil unions or domestic partnerships) has also allowed lesbians, gay and bisexuals to serve openly in the military.

Click here to read more and learn why Dr. Herek believes that when it comes to gay civil rights there is a clear case of NATO vs. the USA.

-Victor Maldonado

Dramatic Arrest - Gay Soldier's Fate Grips Brazil

Brazilian military police set off a firestorm of controversy this week when they swarmed a television station, interrupted an interview in progress, and arrested an army sergeant who recently revealed that he was gay. The extraordinary set of events came about just before Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva addressed the country's first national gay rights' conference.

The BBC is reporting that Laci Marinho de Araujo was taken into custody following the publication of a magazine article in which he and his partner, who is also a sergeant in the Brazilian army, spoke publicly about their life together as a couple.

The sergeant, who is being treated for a variety of medical problems including multiple sclerosis, was recently absent from his unit, and the army has accused him of desertion.

Brazil is not one of the twenty-four foreign militaries, including Israel, Britain, France and Australia, that allow gays to serve openly.

-Victor Maldonado

The Sun Sets on Oz

Australia began withdrawing its troops from Iraq on Sunday. According to news accounts, “American troops would temporarily take over [Australian] responsibilities.” The question which must be asked is how? American resources are already stretched and the military is having difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified individuals to serve. Waivers are being granted to convicted felons, educational standards are being lowered, involuntary deployments are increasing and the U.S. government is spending more and more money paying sign-on bonuses to entice incoming recruits. Yet military commanders are expanding the responsibilities of American service personnel?

Despite the urgent need for solutions, one simple, common sense approach for increasing the number of qualified, non-violent enlistees is not even being considered because in 1993 Congress passed a law saying the military cannot accept the service of openly lesbian, gay and bisexual service members. With our resources stretched thin, we cannot continue to order commanders to fire personnel simply because of their sexual orientation. It is time to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and allow every patriotic American to serve our country.

As our allies continue leaving Iraq, and the burden of the war falls increasingly onto American shoulders, it is imperative that U.S. military commanders recommend to their civilian leadership that allowing gays to serve is a concrete first step towards assuring we continue to field the best trained military in the world.

-Victor Maldonado

SLDN Repudiates General's Remarks

I was upset to learn of recent anti-gay comments made by Italian General Mauro Del Vecchio, former commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. In an interview with the Italian news service Agenzia Giornalistica Italia (AGI), Del Vecchio told reporters he believes lesbian, gay and bisexual personnel are “unsuitable” for military service. The General went on to say, “in a structure like the army, where activities are always carried out together, it is advisable not to declare or reveal one's homosexuality.”

These comments are shocking, insensitive and disrespectful to the 47,000 multi-national troops, including Americans, who served under Del Vecchio as part of the NATO force in Afghanistan. 19,000 Americans served under General Del Vecchio’s command in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2006. The Williams Project at the University of California-Los Angeles estimates at least 65,000 lesbian and gay Americans are currently serving on active duty and the reserves. Another 1 million gay Americans, the group has estimated, are veterans of the armed forces. American service members, along with our international allies, make tremendous sacrifices every day in Afghanistan, and deserve General Del Vecchio’s praise, not his scorn.

Furthermore, the Italian government disagrees with the General. Italy, along with Great Britain, France, Israel and Australia, is one of twenty-four countries which allows gay troops to serve openly. More than half of the troops taking part in ISAF hail from countries which allow open service.

As a military leader in a nation which allows open and honest service, General Del Vecchio knows that personal prejudice does not dictate policy. Not only should the General apologize for his remarks, he also needs a refresher course on leadership. This general needs to be reminded that leaders demonstrate respect for all those who serve under them. These troops deserve better and I hope that the Italian Defense Minister agrees.

-Aubrey Sarvis

Military Preparedness -- The Foreign Perspective

There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Last night the Georgetown Law Center hosted active duty and veteran members of four foreign militaries – Australia, Britain, Canada and Israel – to share stories of how their nations did away with gay bans within their armed forces.

The event, organized by SLDN Military Advisory Committee member and Georgetown Adjunct Professor Tom Fields, was an opportunity for Americans to hear how allied nations integrated gay troops into their militaries. The take away message of the evening was -- allowing openly gay service in the armed forces has been a non-event in those countries.

While each nation did weather some adjustments, none of the dire doomsday predictions turned out to be true (no mass resignations, no problems with recruitment, no spike in violence). In fact, the experiences of last night’s speakers was, readiness and cohesion has increased because their service members are no longer required to lie.

So, where does this leave the United States military? Unfortunately I think it leaves our military operating under an antiquated law that hinders their ability to recruit, train and retain patriotic Americans who want to serve our country. I often have heard from staff on Capital Hill that the US military is different from other countries militaries and that is why we cannot lift the ban. I think that is a hard argument to swallow when confronted by an Australian NCO who was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal by the US military while he was stationed in Iraq last year working with US military troops. He contributed just as much to the fight for freedom as his US counterparts – he just did not have to hide who he was while he accomplished his mission. And, what about the British and Canadian troops who are working hand-in-hand with our units in Afghanistan and Iraq. How insulting is it to our coalition partners to say that they can lift their bans without problems because they are somehow less of a military than the US military? Forget insulting, this argument just does not make sense. As the panelist from Israel commented – there has never been a time in Israel’s existence where they have not been under siege and yet they have been able to integrate openly gay service members into their units to the benefit of effectiveness and cohesion.

Last night I saw a light. We are quickly approaching a time when the tired, lame and specious arguments in favor of banning lesbians and gays are overwhelmed by the mounting evidence that it doesn’t work and detrimental to our military. It is time for Congress to catch up to the American people on this issue and repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” It is time to do the right thing.

-Kathi Wescott

International Perspective on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

The quickest way to get somewhere is to ask someone who has already been there for directions.

That simple idea lies at the heart of an important new conference being held in two weeks at the Georgetown University Law Center -- what can Americans learn from our allies who already allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in their militaries?

The event, which features active or retired military personnel from Australia, Canada, Great Britain, and Israel, is a rare opportunity for people to hear an international perspective on the current U.S. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

What:Conference on Sexual Orientation and Military Preparedness - An International Perspective

When: March 12, 2008 from 6-8pm

Where: Georgetown University Law Center -- 12th Floor, Gewirz Building, 120 F Street, N.W.

Please send RSVPs to: Military.Preparedness.Conference@gmail.com

-Victor Maldonado

Across the Pond

So this is what the future looks like.

The International Herald Tribune has an article out today on the state of the British military since they lifted the ban on open service in 2000.

One Royal Air Force officer tells his story of coming out to his squad:

"I said, 'Right, I've got something to tell you. I believe that for us to be able to work closely together and have faith in each other, we have to be honest and open and frank.

'And it has to be a two-way process, and it starts with me baring my soul. You may have heard some rumors, and, yes, I have a long-term partner who is a he, not a she.'"

And the conclusion? It wasn't a big deal. In fact, he says "he found that coming out to his troops actually increased the unit's strength and cohesion."

The article also, inevitably, compares and contrasts the status of gay military personnel in the British and American armed forces.

There was this interesting snippet about one British military officer who served alongside American service members in Iraq:

One major, an openly gay liaison officer in the British Territorial Army, told of an exchange he had in the southern Iraqi city of Basra with an American staff sergeant, far from home and anxious to confide.

"He privately let me know he was gay," the major said in an interview. "Not in a romantic way, but in a matter-of-fact way. He found it difficult, because he clearly had a whole part of his private life that he had to keep separate and distinct and couldn't discuss with people. He was in his mid-30s, with no girlfriend and no wife, and he had to use all these white lies."

Another, who served in Afghanistan, had this to say about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell:"

"I find it strange, coming from the land of the free and freedom of speech and democracy, given the changes in the world attitude," said a gay squadron leader in the Royal Air Force who recently returned from Afghanistan. "It's just not the issue it used to be."

Indeed.

Check out the rest of the story online at the International Herald Tribune.

- Rebecca Sawyer