Survey raises doubts on ‘don’t ask’ policy

[kpete]

Source: Boston Globe

Survey raises doubts on ‘don’t ask’ policy
By Bryan Bender
Globe Staff / November 10, 2009

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration received more research yesterday to help make its case for allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the armed forces.

A survey of troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan concluded that having gay or lesbian soldiers in fighting units has no significant impact on unit cohesion or readiness.

The data raise new doubts about the underlying assumption of the congressional ban, namely that military discipline will fall apart if gays and lesbians are permitted to serve openly.

“Service members said the most important factors for unit cohesion and readiness were the quality of their officers, training, and equipment,’’ said Laura Miller, a military sociologist at the RAND Corporation, a private research group that has long advised the Pentagon, which conducted the study along with the University of Florida. “Serving with another service member who was gay or lesbian was not a significant factor that affected unit cohesion or readiness to fight.’’

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/11/10/survey_raises_new_doubts_on_militarys_dont_ask_policy/

[Soylent Brice]

1. K&R

[frebrd]

2. K&R!

[OHdem10]

3. It is the Generals and Higher Ranking Officers and the PARENTS

of the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines who raise the rukus.

[laconicsax]

4. Hasn't this information been out there for some time now?

I could swear I've read similar, if not near-identical reports in the past.

[Jamastiene]

7. Yes, from what I remember...

back in the 90s, the RAND Corporation said the same exact thing BEFORE the DADT "compromise."

[Swede Atlanta]

5. The arguments against are the same......

as those raised when the military was integrated from a race perspective in the late 1940s. These stereotypes are now focused on the GLBT community. This will affect unit cohesion and effectiveness.

I believe our men and women in uniform, at least the majority of them, don't care about the color of their skin, sexual orientation, etc. when it comes to those in their unit.

If someone is engaging in derogatory racial speech, inappropriate sexual advances, etc. these are matters for the military to discipline.

If Israel and many of our NATO partners allow openly GLBT soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines to serve without impact, that should serve as a lesson to us.

[Jamastiene]

6. Other countries have done it for years now and it hasn't hurt them.

The RAND Corporation ALSO told Clinton the same thing back in the 90s.

[Vidar]

8. K&R