Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is celebrating Pride day by thanking LGBT servicemembers (and their "families!"). Video's after the jump. Towleroad runs the verbate:
As we recognize Pride month, I want to personally thank all of our gay and lesbian service members, LGBT civilians, and their families for their dedicated service to our country.
Before the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” you faithfully served your country with professionalism and courage. And just like your fellow service members, you put your country before yourself.
And now—after repeal, you can be proud of serving your country, and be proud of who you are when in uniform.
The pursuit of equality is fundamental to the American story. The successful repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” proved to the Nation that just like the country we defend, we share different backgrounds, different values, and different beliefs—but together, we are the greatest military force in the world.
Continued after the jump.
It also reminds us that integrity and respect remain the cornerstones of our military culture. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force implemented the repeal with a focus on respect and individual dignity.
As Secretary of Defense, I am very proud of how we implemented repeal. Going forward, I remain committed to removing as many barriers as possible to make America’s military a model of equal opportunity, to ensure all who are qualified can serve in America’s military, and to give every man and woman in uniform the opportunity to rise to their highest potential.
Diversity is one of our greatest strengths. During Pride month—and every month—let us celebrate our rich diversity and renew our enduring commitment to equality for all.
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It sounds good, but having been in the military I know there is a big difference between what is said and how it's practiced....
It still matters that the higher ups are openly supporting. It's not like the struggle's over, but it's beginning where it can matter.
Agreed, Zora. I'll believe things are being put into practice when I have access to things that all military families do, like medical care.
I too was in the military and often saw how fond military careerists were of lip service. Also, there is the fact that the military is not the country at large. Even after Truman integrated the Armed Forces, there were years of struggle and bloodshed ahead before the end (on the law books) of segregation in civilian society. Furthermore, there are numerous virulently anti-LGBT campaigns afoot, such as the campaign to re-criminalize so-called "sodomy".
come on.. things have changed dramatically.. you know it as well as we who are not serving right now. Your negativity on this issue is not good. .the progress is nothing short of amazing..
Talk is cheap and Pollyannas will find out how cheap it is if those on the right get the control they want.
Going forward, it will be easy for naysayers to point to this incident or that incident as PROOF POSITIVE that gay soldiers are a bad thing, that they're disruptive, distracting, morally corrupt, or some such thing. Transitions such as this are subject to abuse by myopic fleas, whose world dances on the head of a pin.
This succint speech is a solid message from leadership.
Who'd have believed it 5 years ago?
WHERE do I find the back up to your comments.. ?? Posting this kind of thing without proof is not responsible. It begins a cycle of negativity that overshadows the strides that are definitely being taken.. there are so many LGBT folks out there that are fighting for all of us.. and you sit back and attempt to sideline the great work!.. Proof is proof.. tell us where you got this information??
pity the religious right won't choke to death on its hatred and indignation over this development.
I have two friends who are 1st Lieutenants (one's in Special Forces and the other is a Ranger), and one who is a Colonel. I've known them for many years, and they've never cared if someone is LGBT. Their only concerns are: Do you perform your job/task/orders, and do you perform those orders well? Do you put your group at risk? They've told me that it's those that discriminate against LGBT (or just discrimination in general, or as they put it, stupid stuff - LOL, they used a different word) that is an issue. I have another friend who is a Corporal. It's never mattered to any of them. Admittedly, we're all under 50, so I'm not sure if it's a generational thing that makes a difference.
The three that are officers really crack down on the stupid heads (I changed their term again) for disrupting the cohesion of their teams/troops. Usually, it's the stupid heads that are the same people who would have caused problems within the team to begin with and are just using LGBT as the "easy target" (the same as they would have made comments or discriminate against someone about their race - meaning non-white).
One of my friends is currently deployed in Afghanistan, and my other three friends are going to be deployed in the next few months. I proud of them all, and I want them all to come home safely.
As a former Army Captain, I echo Casere's statements that many people don't care about straight vs gay and that what really matters is whether a person does the job. Those who disrupt unit functioning are not the LGBT, but the narrow-minded, intolerant rednecks who break into a cold sweat if a delicate soldier, e.g., ends up in the same bunker. The bad boy who starts a fight gets dealt with regardless of the reason. The key is for leadership to make crystal clear what will be tolerated and what will not. The vast majority of troops will not cross the line that leadership draws in the sand.
As a Navy Veteran who served from 88-96
When I joined Gays were not allowed to serve .. ( I guess I lied to get in ).. I was closeted for the first 2.5 years.. DADT was implemented in 92 .... My lifestyle had no bearing on my unit, the mission, or my shipmates. Prior to or after DADT was implemented nothing was any different for me. I was always a 3.8 or 4.0 sailor and proud of that fact...
Bravo Zulu to the Defense Depart.
Thank You to all the troops serving today
and Congrats to the LGBT members serving Today .. It's just another step in the right direction...
The Last line in the Sailors Creed
"I am committed to Excellence and the Fair Treatment of All"
Micheal
There's motto of a tall ship called the Lynx that I think you'd appreciate
"Be Excellent To Each Other And To Your Ship"
http://www.privateerlynx.com/
Officers and enlisted have different experiences. Officers have privacy and security at night that enlisted often lack.