The “New Look” Military:  Gay Boot Camp?

 WASHINGTON – (Disassociated Press) – August 18, 2006 – Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank (D) has introduced a bill into the House of Representatives which would once again change United States military policy regarding homosexuals serving in the armed forces.          

        The last time the policy changed was 1993, when standing for gays in the military went from an outright ban to the current “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy crafted by Colin Powell as a compromise with the newly elected President Bill Clinton, which still officially prohibits homosexuals from serving, while at the same time restricts the military from dismissing gay service people who hide and deny their sexual orientation.

         “In a post 9/11 world, the United States simply can’t be forbidding or dismissing vital assets in the War on Terror simply because of sexual orientation,” explained Frank, who is often described as the “most prominent openly gay politician” in the United States.

         In recent years, there has been a spike military dismissals for gay service people when the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy has not been adhered to, including some service people who are fluent in Arabic languages, a vital ability that the U.S. military views as being crucial in military efforts to counter terrorism.     

         Because of the military’s hesitancy to admit gay service people, partly because of fears of potential violent reprisals against homosexuals on military bases, Frank’s bill includes certain “transitional period” procedures, one of which includes training admittedly gay entrants in their own boot camps.

         “These boot camps would be ostensibly the same as regular boot camps, with a few exceptions.  I would encourage these camps to provide blow dryers (not currently common practice on military training bases), a little more sensitivity training, allow a ‘make-up and free dress’ night once a month, and have the marching and physical training chants be lyrics from show tunes and Judy Garland songs, as opposed to the traditional ‘cadence count’ chants used in other training camps.”

         The bill is slated to be taken under consideration by the House Armed Services committee sometime next month.

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