End it, the military has passed up on needed linguists because they were openly gay, the linguists were badly needed too. When I was in the Navy there were homosexual people they did their jobs and if anyone knew they didn't tell either. It's time for our society to accept everyone.

Wrong Larry.

We don't want to know if they are gay.

Besides, if they tell, they're more apt to get ostracized and beat up for being gay.

You don't want that do you??

Gay people in the military (I don't think they should be allowed at all) should stay in the closet.

It's bad enough they are there, it's doubly bad if they're OUT there.

There have always been gay people in the military. In every country and service. Homosexuality is a fact of life.

The military should focus on getting the job at hand done and not on the appearence of doing same.

They need to improve their track record in ousting sexual intimidation by superior ranks of whatever sexual preference.

Yes, don't tell' be ended.

Er, yes, don't ask don't tell should be ended.

There's no real reason for it whatsoever.

I was in the Army & I did not know of any gays in our regiment, if there were any that were out of closet , they would have marched to the orderly room & discharged fast. I strongly agree with policy now. No gays in the military.

No bigots in the military. The U.S. military is supposed to be protecting all U.S. citizens.

Gay people should not reveal their sexual preference in the military.

If they do, they will be treated unfairly.

We wouldn't want that.

crawdad,

Your statement about being treated unfairly is, sad to say, true.

But it was the same for blacks after Jim Crow... the ones who tried to integrate were treated unfairly.

But we've gotta start somewhere.

There is no reason to be telling anyone your sexual preference when you are in the military or anywhere else unless you are looking for a date. It is a job. It is not professional to go to work and advertise your sexual preference at any job unless you happen to be a gay stripper. Don't ask don't tell is designed to protect the people in the military not to discriminate against them. It is designed to prevent discrimination. If your buddy in the hole is just a man no biggie. If he is a gay man then many men would have doubts which will cause errors. This is not a fight to be fought. Lets get the stuff that is broken fixed. Not worry about something that some idiot thinks is broken because he doesn't like the terminology. This is how they take our eyes off of the important problems like health care so they can sneak in laws that degrade our rights even further.

Straight men and women serve in the military side by side. They also have sex, get married, and raise families.

I fail to see anything wrong with the concept of openly gay men and women defending our nation in the armed services.

I recommend that anyone who is truly interested in learning the facts behind the "don't ask, don't tell" policy read the book Unfriendly fire: how the gay ban undermines the military and weakens America, by Nathaniel Frank. It thoroughly explains why and how this policy came to be, why it is discriminatory, why it is unnecessary and also why it is imperative that it be ended, not only for the well-being of gays, lesbians and bi-sexuals, but also for the well-being of every military service member, every U.S. citizen and for our country. We cannot afford to continue this policy that excludes and banishes so many who have so much to offer.

Perhaps it should be changed to, "don't ask, don't flaunt it, but if it comes up in conversation, no millitary discharge for it."