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"The concern among many in the military was that given the longstanding view that homosexuality was incompatible with service, letting people who were openly gay serve would lower morale, harm recruitment and undermine unit cohesion."

But Shalikashvili writes that following meetings he held last year with LGBT soldiers and marines he believes those concerns are no longer valid.  Shalikashvili also points to a Zogby poll taken in October that showed three-out-of-four members of the military who are serving in Iraq or recently returned home don't care if someone in their unit is gay.

Now, how bout that?  ... just imagine, those gay people don't attack the straight ones! 

Cindi

Having been on active duty during that time ("back in the day...") I remember the snide and derogatory comments the neanderthal soldiers made towards gay soldiers, General Shalikashvili, and the Commander in Chief, President Bill Clinton. 

As I remember, talking smack about your chain of command -- especially the CiC -- was a punishable offense under the UCMJ. 

But these soldiers (including Colonels and a few Generals) would openly mock the policy and the leaders who were behind it when they felt they had a sympathetic audience -- and I knew 'WAY better than to try to correct them on that.

And I love the irony that I sit writing this in the former Bachelor Officer's Quarters of an air force base.  WooHoo!! 

Karen

Things are changing.  I thought for many years that this swing to the extreme right would be devastating for people like us.  But the pendulum has started to swing back the other direction.  The rest of the world (the other progressinve countries) will drag us along out of the dark ages.

Cindi