United States Navy hospitalman, Roy Hill, endured a similar scenario. He too came out to his commanding officer, in a letter. However, his commanding officers stated that "homosexual conduct is grounds for separation only if the commanding officer has received 'credible evidence of such conduct'" (Prince, 2002).
Although some gay servicemen have been discharged since the United States went to war in Iraq, cases such as Nguyen's and Hill's show that this is not always the case. Not only are military commanders not accepting simply a statement of homosexuality as proof, but also they are relying on the "for the good of the service" loophole to retain homosexual service members as well. As situations in other parts of the world intensify, such as Korea, Iran and Syria, and military troops are spread evermore thin, it is likely that the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy will continue to be overlooked and the built in loophole utilized more and more to retain all members of the service, no matter what their sexual orientation.
Labor Relations Issue in the Military:
The waffling on the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gays in the military is seen by many as both self-serving and hypocritical (Dahir, 2003). It emphasizes one of the most important labor relations issues in the military. The military is often seen as hypocritical by both the men and women who serve, and those considering to serve. This issue has resulted in lower reenlistment rates of active service members and lower numbers of new recruits eager to join.
This issue needs to be addressed immediately. The military is under increased scrutiny right now and allowing the hypocrisy to go unfettered is not helping its public image. If the military wishes to admit gay service members, then they need to eliminate the "Don't ask, don't tell policy." If they only wish to admit gay service members in times of war or when troops are at significantly low levels, then this needs to be stated as well. Whatever the military wishes to...
Even if others don't agree with it, at least they will have the respect earned by sticking to one's principles. This wavering is harming service members individually and the military as a whole, alike. Many of the gay men and lesbians currently serving in the military are angered by this hypocrisy that still "continues to believe that they are having a negative effect on morale or cohesion because of their sexuality" (Quittner, 2004).
Conclusion:
The military policy of "Don't ask, don't tell" was developed to be a compromise between those who felt homosexuals should be allowed to serve in the military, and those who wished them banned. However, due to multiple international conflicts, such as the war in Iraq, the Pentagon has issued a stop loss order for military personnel, and the discharge of openly gay military members has, in many cases, been suspended, by simply ignoring claims of homosexuality or using the loophole that was devised to be able to retain members if needed. It is this hypocritical waffling that is one of the military's biggest labor relations issues that needs to be addressed immediately.
References
Dahir, M. (Feb. 2003). Prospect of war exposes hypocrisy of 'Don't ask, don't tell'. Lesbian News, 28(7). Retrieved February 21, 2005, from Academic Search Premier database.
Don't ask, don't tell. (15 Feb. 2005). Retrieved February 21, 2005, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_ask_don%27t_tell.
Don't ask, don't tell takes a break for war. (May 2003). Contemporary Sexuality, 37 (5). Retrieved February 21, 2005, from Academic Search Premier database.
Prince, C.J. (26 Nov. 2002). Don't ask, don't tell, don't go. Advocate, (877). Retrieved February 21, 2005, from Academic Search Premier database.
Quittner, J. (28 Sept. 2004). The truth about "unit cohesion." Advocate, (923). Retrieved February 21, 2005, from Academic Search Premier database.
Labor Relations
