Badpuppy Gay Today

Thursday, 15 May 1997

As if to come to the rescue of a certain kind of fairness, former Republican Maine senator, William S. Cohen, replaced William J. Perry as the Secretary of Defense in January. Taking seriously anti-gay-bias complaints by organizations such as the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), Secretary Cohen opened, on May 12, a formal review of improper investigations recently conducted into the lives of policy-proper-closeted lesbian and gay military personnel. It was a critical report issued by SLDN in February that had prompted Secretary Cohen's interest.

These anti-gay investigations, according to advocacy organization records, are mushrooming nationwide. "In other words," as one activist put it, "The 'don't tell' people aren't telling much, but the 'don't ask' people are doing so much asking, so much poking around, its like they haven't got much else to do!"

When "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" went into effect early in 1994 as a compromise, the number of dismissals of gay men and lesbians began to increase as much as 42% on a five year curve. Under an agreement reached after a heated political struggle, the military pledged not to seek out gay and lesbian servicemembers if those same persons kept their orientations secret. In many locales, however, military brass are not, it is now obvious, keeping their honorable pledges. Their investigations have been clear violations of stated military policy.

"Is this how some of these military leaders would follow the Geneva Convention combat rules? If so, its a safe bet they'd probably sneak and break every one of them," said an angry citizen whose close friend was caught up in an on-base investigation.

Gay activists have told reporters that they regard the swift review initiated by Secretary Cohen as a reflection of his greater commitment to insuring a proper implementation of military rulings.

Officials from military branches affected have offered various excuses for a rise to 850 dismissals last year, the highest number of discharges since 1987. Some gay and lesbian observers see the "bed bugging" behavior of investigators as a kind of revengeful machismo attempting to protect through expulsions one of its last domains.

Excuses from military officials, about the high expulsion numbers, range from "minor technical violations," to blaming "disillusioned trainees" for "seeking an easy way out."

Fred Pang, the Pentagon's assistant secretary for force management, and whose office is heading this week's review, says that he thinks "the policy is being perfectly implemented.

In March Secretary Cohen initiated a memo sent by the Pentagon's undersecretary for personnel, affirming that gay men or lesbians who felt they were being harassed ought to feel free to report the culprits without fearing they'll be subjected to investigations.

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) stated of the previous Secretary of Defense, "Perry couldn't have cared less. Cohen, having voted for the policy while in the Senate, feels some commitment, I think, to live up to it."

Rep. Frank also stated that cleaning up such issues is made easier during the president's second term when there seems no need to worry about his re-election.