Gays and Lesbians in the military? How will it work?

It will never work. When I was in the Navy. In boot camp they intentionally take away your individuality. They make you just another cog on the machine. They do this for numerous and very important reasons. One of which is to maintain discipline. In the Navy you must perform as a team member. Anyone who was a member of a fire party knows, how important it is. I am not saying gays are incapable of doing this. I am saying too many individuals and people who are intentionally separating themselves from the group jeopardize that mission. Again Iam not saying they can not do the job. Iam sure I served with a few. Iam saying its all this crap that we need to highlight and praise every ones differences is destructive. I say just leave it alone. If some guy is dumb enough to hit on his redneck shipmate. He will get what he has coming. The idea we need to validate every ones feelings needs to end. Why cant people do that on their own rather than have society as a whole do it for them.

I can address a few points from a female Army point of view.

We had common showers, not the nice apartment barracks that soldiers enjoy these days.

We had several gay or bi women in our barracks building. They were respectful of us straight females and would wait until the shower was empty or shower at hours when others would be out and about. A lot of it is respect.

Believe it or not, not all gay or lesbians want to throw down with just anybody that will go for it. Being other than heterosexual does not automatically make you a skank or slut.

I have served with butch lesbians and females you would not even think were lesbians. Their sexual preference should not interfere with their duty to country. No more than a heteros sex life should interfere with their line of duty.

Sexual promiscuity is rampant in the military and is the down fall of many familes and does have an impact of unit cohesion. There seems to be a freedom that is taken to the extreme. Generally, from what I saw the behavior of non-hetero personnel was more professional than most who were so busy bed hopping they couldn't keep track of their lovers.

It is worse over seas and I would assume the same mind set for those on ship. It's kind of like an all bets are off mentality.

Surprise, there are already gays and lesbians in the military just not open about their sexuality, they have been in the military for many decades.

The thing is, you forget that a truly gay individual is not interested in forcing themselves on a straight person of the same sex, much less so than a straight male would go after a woman. Many of those who are already in the service, their shipmates or other military personnel know their sexual preference and it does not interfere with their jobs. Frankly you hear a lot more reports of behavior between male and female personnel because of the lack of use of protection and the female becomes pregnant. This is something each person will have to work through on their own. Remember the military is still a volunteer service, if you don't want to serve you don't have to and if you believe there will be an issue, no one is stating you must join, this goes for EVERYONE not just the gays and lesbians. There is no need for separate berthing or any other special accommodations. You forget in your points, what about the bisexual individuals? I am betting there are many more who fit into this lifestyle than gay or lesbian. People just need to control their urges as sex is a matter of choice not necessity.

It would probably be the same way that is now. Since everyone else is expected to remain celibate for the entire time that they're out of harbor, homosexuals who choose to join the Navy should be able to do the same thing.

I completely agree with you!

My husbands unit talks about this allllll the time. They aren't to happy with Gays being allowed open in the military.

It's a freaking Joke.

My husbands unit has already agreed that if this does happen.. they will make their lives living hell ( The open Gays )

We are apparently turning into the Thai military where all of the men sleep with each other.. *shudders*....

Add: Yeah, Things will be very interesting if this does happen. Alot of guys have said they won't re-enlist if it does. My husband and his friends think that it needs to stay "don't ask don't tell" because for one, straight people don't wanna hear that crap and for two, because in a way it protects the Gay ppl in the service. There is one guy in my husbands unit .. we THINK he is gay.. and with only thinking it and not knowing it.. they still make fun of him constantly, crack gay jokes, trying to break him .. I feel bad for the guy .. but it is kinda funny, some of the stuff they do to him. But yeah, like I said.. "don't ask don't tell" is also to protect them in a way.

Believe it or not .. but there is thousands of men and women who ARE gay and lesbian who serve. But they do it secretly because, obviously atm its not allowed to by gay in the military. So ...really, your already taking showers with them.

Separate berthing and showering areas are by definition homosexual. Homosexual means literally same sex. There is no need to change the current berthing, showering, toilet conditions simply to discourage sexual behavior.

The British figured it out, somehow.

I can't believe you're trying to tell me that you're "past that" when your question says completely that you aren't! This question is homophobic.

Oh go fly a kite.