U.S. Combat Troops Resist 'Don't Ask' Repeal

I can't say that I am surprised. Troops in combat arms generally do not like civilians in soldiers clothing like their POG counterparts do. Plus combat troop units are not coed so repealing dadt would present this problem of combat troops in the same unit engaging in sexual relations..

U.S. Combat Troops Resist 'Don't Ask' Repeal - FoxNews.com
WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon is playing down the risk of infantry and other combat arms troops causing problems if "don't ask, don't tell" is overturned.

In a first-of-its-kind survey released this week, the Pentagon found that two-thirds of the overall force predicted little impact on the military's ability to fight if gays were allowed to serve openly.

But among those who did care, most were troops performing combat arms duties. Nearly 60 percent of those in the Marine Corps and in Army combat units said they thought repealing the law would hurt their units' ability to fight on the battlefield.

Opponents of repeal, led by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., were expected to use these findings to argue that Congress shouldn't reverse the law at a time of two wars. The military's service chiefs have expressed similar concerns and are expected to testify Friday.


Read more: U.S. Combat Troops Resist 'Don't Ask' Repeal - FoxNews.com

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jamesrage said:

I can't say that I am surprised. Troops in combat arms generally do not like civilians in soldiers clothing like their POG counterparts do.
U.S. Combat Troops Resist 'Don't Ask' Repeal - FoxNews.com
WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon is playing down the risk of infantry and other combat arms troops causing problems if "don't ask, don't tell" is overturned.

In a first-of-its-kind survey released this week, the Pentagon found that two-thirds of the overall force predicted little impact on the military's ability to fight if gays were allowed to serve openly.

But among those who did care, most were troops performing combat arms duties. Nearly 60 percent of those in the Marine Corps and in Army combat units said they thought repealing the law would hurt their units' ability to fight on the battlefield.

Opponents of repeal, led by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., were expected to use these findings to argue that Congress shouldn't reverse the law at a time of two wars. The military's service chiefs have expressed similar concerns and are expected to testify Friday.


Read more: U.S. Combat Troops Resist 'Don't Ask' Repeal - FoxNews.com

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This story looks like a spin job. Of the remaining one-third 60% of them see a problem or about 19%. Not a big deal, IMO.

I knew the right-wing would find something to latch onto to hang onto their moving goalposts.

jamesrage said:

I can't say that I am surprised. Troops in combat arms generally do not like civilians in soldiers clothing like their POG counterparts do. Plus combat troop units are not coed so repealing dadt would present this problem of combat troops in the same unit engaging in sexual relations..

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Notice this little bit of info:

When asking that same question of Marines who have worked with a gay person, 84 percent said they thought unit morale and cohesion hadn't been affected.

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That tells me that the majority of those who answered that they think it would cause problems have never actually worked with openly gay personnel (although it is quite possible that they have worked with personnel who hid their sexuality well). So they don't really know that it will cause problems. Their only basis for this belief comes from what they are told, by the rule itself, by some in their upper command like the USMC Cmdt, or by other, mainly older people who have served and believe this like Sen. McCain and possibly family/friends, along with possibly some of their own biases against gays.

As the article says, if you change how the command views gays serving openly, then the views of the personnel will most likely change to. But that change of view will never come if gays are not allowed to ever serve openly. Now is the time to do it.