"Don't tell the Enemy" Herald Newspaper Column

"Don't Tell the Enemy"



By Steven Masone

Last week, the House Armed Services Committee heard testimonies from leaders in the armed forces on the impact of repealing the "Don't ask Don't tell " policy. The hearing was one of the first full committee discussions of the topic in the House of Representatives since repeal of the law was mentioned by President Obama in last year’s State of the Union address.

Such delayed discussion is one of the many concerns surrounding the reversal of the 1993 law banning open homosexuals from serving in the armed forces. A new paper from the Heritage Foundation highlights how last year’s campaign to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was marked by hurried legislation and limited deliberation. The short time frame between the Pentagon’s Comprehensive Review Working Group (CRWG) report on the steps involved in changing the law and votes in Congress left concerned lawmakers and citizens little time to raise important questions about potential free speech and religious liberty ramifications. Likewise, the two brief hearings on the Pentagon’s 400-page report – held only in the Senate – and the limited debate time and prohibition on amendments all but excluded exploration of the CRWG’s often ambiguous recommendations.

The shortsighted "leap before you look" approach just so Obama can fulfill a campaign promise, will have effects that will show up on the 'battlefield' costing lives. A combat veteran needs no distraction of any kind to magnify the stress level that may cloud judgement. Soldiers must be able to count on every man performing their job without consideration and worry that someone has "special status" whether female or homosexual or... fill in the "political correct blank"

Other considerations ignored are the religious freedoms and expression of the same for those that have strong faith convictions that they draw upon to "weather the ravages of violent warfare" where they must believe that their service and sacrifice is acceptable according to the 'tenents" of their faith, and homosexuality is opposed to so many of the same.

Without adequate deliberation on the ramifications of repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” military chaplains and service members with moral and religious concerns were left with many unanswered questions: Can chaplains teach that homosexual conduct is immoral as they see appropriate? Can they participate in marriage counseling that promotes marriage between a man and a woman? Are service members allowed to civilly disagree with and discuss the policy change without risking their careers?

Answers to these and other questions should be addressed by Congress and the Department of Defense. Specifically, Congress should monitor the repeal implementation process through hearings in both the House and Senate and conduct an independent survey of service members to determine the effects of the repeal on military readiness, unit cohesion, and religious liberty in the armed forces. The Department of Defense should likewise seek to clarify the rights of chaplains and service members to civilly express religious or moral views on the repeal and on the underlying policy issues.

Esprit De Corps! Is the 'mantra" for unity in the US military, High morale, honor & pride of the Corps...our enemies will surely have a propaganda bonanza to hurl at our troops to demoralize them in future combat & siege situations. Hope and pray that the U.S. Combat Soldier can soon be obsolete, his fighting fierce reputation that once was a powerful deterrent and advantage is emasculated and made into a laughing stock. It is said of Old Glory... "These Colors don't run!" ...But they will be diluted to "Lavender."

( Steven Masone is a Decorated Veteran of the U.S. Army, 3rd Battalion, 5th Infantry)