It's a difficult issue for folks. On the one hand, in this country we have a fundamental belief in equality of opportunity. On the other hand, we have a military that for its most effective function requires uniformity and trust and loyalty well before equality. That is why it has a separate justice system that relaxes the Bill of Rights, for example. Actions or words that nobody notices in civilian life can get you serious jail time in the military. Also, the term, "mission" is totally different in the military and outside. In civilian life a mission or a mission statement is a sort of goal thingie that is a good thing to remember. In the military, it is literally your life. In my experience the differences are incomprehensible and alien to people who have never served.

Most people in the military are between 18 and 25 years old. They are in for a few years of intense active duty and then return to "the world". These youngsters are at a very vulnerable stage of maturity while physically, they are in their prime years. The military gives them a tuned-up and a focus. Individually these kids are no different from civilians except in teh most superficial ways. But put them in a unit (a concept alien to non-military) and they become a machine. It is a wonderful, terrible thing to watch a mob turn into a unit and the difference is immediately obvious when it happens.

That age group is sexually charged-up and emotionally vulnerable. They must absolutely trust their comrades or they will may die. Confused loyalties are death to unit effectiveness and thus, a prescription for death of the individuals.

Can gays serve effectively in the military? Certainly. Way back in my day of service there were some gays on my ship. This was well before the official, "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Most of those guys were loyal and competent and so, indistinguishable crew members. One or 2 were career enlisted (dunno about officers). But gay sailors who couldn't keep their peckers in their pants were not tolerated by the crew, never mind the command. Those guys were miserable and made everybody around them miserable. They rarely lasted more than a few months before they were discharged from the Navy. Even the other gay sailors didn't like'em.

Would having openly gay sailors affect unit cohesion? Unquestionably. It sure affected unitary cohesion when the military was ordered to racially integrate. Would the military recover from it? Probably. But it would be quite a different military just as the military of today ain't your grandpappy's military.

Racial integration has resulted in a whole initiative in the military previously unknown -- racial sensitivity training. Had it remained restricted to blacks then race would not even be mentioned today and they'd all be driving trucks and waiting tables. IMO the military would also have lost a tremendous capability. Nowadays we (most of us) accept that as a simple statement of fact. back in the 1950's that was extraordinarily radical.

What's the experience of NATO allies that have openly gay military's? I'll bet somebody somewhere has conducted a study of unit effectiveness of those NATO members. I have never heard of such a study. You'd think it would be well known.

B