67 Percent of Marine Combat Forces Say Putting Homosexuals in Their Units Will Hurt...

CNSNews ^ | December 20, 2010 | Terence P. Jeffrey

[jazusamo]

A U.S. Marine Corps sergeant in
action in Sangin, Afghanistan on
Nov. 9, 2010. (Defense Department
photo/Lance Cpl. Dexter S.
Saulisbury, U.S. Marine Corps)

(CNSNews.com) - 66.5 percent of U.S. Marine combat forces surveyed by a special Defense Department working group said that putting homosexuals in their units would hurt their effectiveness in the field, and 47.8 percent of Marines in combat units specifically said putting homosexuals in their units would hurt their effectiveness “in an intense combat situation.”

The U.S. Congress voted last week to repeal the law—commonly known as Don’t Ask, Don’ Tell—that barred homosexuals from serving in the military.

Earlier this year, after President Barack Obama said in his 2010 State of the Union Address that he wanted to end the ban on homosexuals in the military, Defense Secretary Robert Gates put together a special working group to begin making plans for integrating homosexuals into the Armed Forces if Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell were in fact repealed.

The working group secured the services of Westat Corporation, a polling company, to survey more than 115,000 active duty service members on their attitudes and views about integrating homosexuals into the military. Among those surveyed by Westat were 989 men serving in Marine combat units.

Question 71a in Westat’s survey of these Marine combat forces read as follows: “If Don't Ask, Don't Tell is repealed and you are working with a Service member in your immediate unit who has said he or she is gay or lesbian, how, if at all, would it affect your immediate unit's effectiveness at completing its mission ... In a field environment or out to sea?” The Marines were given 6 options for answering: Very positively, Positively, Equally as positively as negatively, Negatively, Very negatively, No effect.

The Marines in combat units answered as follows:

Very positively: 2.9 percent

Positively: 3.0 percent

Equally as positively as negatively: 18.8 percent

Negatively: 23.9 percent

Very negatively: 42.6 percent

No effect: 8.7 percent

Only a combined 5.9 percent said putting a homosexual in their combat unit would have a positive or very positive effect on their ability to complete their mission in the field, while 66.5 percent said it would have either a negative or very negative effect.

Almost half of the Marine combat forces surveyed specifically said placing a homosexual in their unit would have a negative or very negative effect on the unit’s effectiveness even in “an intense combat situation.”

Question 71c in Westat’s survey of Marine combat forces read as follows: “If Don’t Ask, Don't Tell is repealed and you are working with a Service member in your immediate unit who has said he or she is gay or lesbian, how, if at all, would it affect your immediate unit's effectiveness at completing its mission... In an intense combat situation”

The Marines in combat units answered as follows:

Very positively: 3.2 percent

Positively: 6.0 percent

Equally as positively as negatively: 28.4 percent

Negatively: 17.8 percent

Very negatively: 30.0 percent

No effect: 16.7 percent

Last week, before Congress voted to lift the ban on homosexuals in the military, Gen. James Amos, the commandant of the Marines, told reporters that he opposed lifting the ban because of what he had heard from Marines about it.

"The forces that wear this uniform, that are in the middle of what I call the real deal, came back and told their commandant of the Marine Corps they have concerns," Gen. Amos told the reporters. "That's all I need. I don't need a staff study. I don't need to hire three PhDs to tell me what to interpret it," he said. "If they have concerns, I do, too. It's as simple as that."

Gen. Amos said the distraction of having homosexuals in the ranks could cost Marines their lives. “Mistakes and inattention or distractions cost Marines lives. That’s the currency of this fight,” said Gen. Amos. “I don’t want to lose any Marines to the distraction. I don’t want to have any Marines that I’m visiting at Bethesda [National Naval Medical Center] with no legs be the result of any type of distraction.”

To see the full results of from the survey of U.S. Marines on the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell click here.

[MHGinTN]

Wonderful so the force will have the offices infected with sexual degenerates like the one who stole so many secret files and published them, and the equipment maintenance rpoviders will be too busy with their deviancy to actually maintain the equipment the force depends upon. Yes, I can see why the democrap party sent this one up the rear of the force. Disgusting anti-American democrats

[technically right]

Yep. Could be a lot of “friendly fire” incidents too. Not too subtle but everyone will eventually get the message. Whiffnpoofs relegated to REMF status.

[TexasTransplant]

I didn’t think I could miss President Reagan more... until seeing his picture again

TT

(It’s gotta be 5:00 somewhere)

[April Lexington]

I’m no expert in any of this but it seems that if one were to stick his/her head out of the fox hole after coming out... it might end up being a one way ticket... So... I suspect this might become a self regulating situation real fast...

[Venturer]

It’s probably going to hurt a few homo’s before it’s over.

Any real man is only disgusted by these creeps, if they are smart they will still not tell.

[DesScorp]

Doesn’t matter. The Beast has won this one.

[cubreporter]

Watch. The draft will be reinstated now.

[central_va]

These marines would sure look good in something more grey, with little blue X’s on them.

[central_va]

Gates & Mullen have private “man time together” ever Wednesday afternoon.

[Ronin]

I am disgusted and ashamed at the utter villainy displayed by this lame duck Congress. Their utter contempt for the opinions and beliefs of the majority of the citizens of the nation are beyond despicable.

[WOBBLY BOB]

“in the rear with the gear” has a new meaning.

so does REMF:
“rear entry man f’r”

[Waco]

When the military sees it’s enlistments and retention drop like ROCK,,,What will Wash.do? Start requireing 1st. Sgts. and Unit CO’s to attend blow-job school,,,wouldn’t put it past Wash.

[SgtHooper]

Yes, the “rear echelon” will take on new meaning, as will “bringing up the rear”.

[TexasRepublic]

Let the homo’s fight our wars. The straights ought to boycott volunteering until this mess is straightened out. I would not serve with a flamer.

[Huaynero]

and what a soiree putting your “junk on the bunk” could become.

[Constitutions Grandchild]

I'm conflicted on this one. I'm all for fair is fair, but it does affect straights, no matter what they say. Try to bring your kids up with a certain moral perspective and you'll get hammered by everyone from the schools to the courts. As I keep saying, “Freedom is not license.”

From a logical point of view, however, blood to blood contact in a war zone or on the front as we used to call it is just as much a problem from intravenous drug users or roustabouts who have slept around indiscriminately (i.e Magic Johnson) as it is from gay male populations. I cannot see how it could impact lesbians in the services, unless they are drug abusers.

The other old saw is there would be sexual harassment by superiors to subordinates. Well, if you can't make an ass out of yourself with the opposite sex in the military without facing a courts martial, odds are you won't be able to make a pass at the same sex, either. Code of Conduct cuts across the board.

Finally, if somebody is gay in the military, having lived in close quarters with that somebody, everybody probably knows they're gay already. Avoid taking showers at the same time if it rattles your cage. Tell them what your boundaries are, i.e. if you can't make Mr. Happy sit down, then don't be coming around me. We all encountered gays in college and dealt with it. Trust me if there were bullets whizzing past my ears, the last thing I'd be thinking about is whether Lance or Dykette were attracted to me. It would be about the last thing on my mind.

I asked my son who just graduated last Thursday from TBS (had a great time up there — I just love the Marines — they're funny, smart-ass and truly adorable in an “I realize you can kill me at any time” sort of way. They're loyal, totally giving and caring and dedicated to each other.) Anyhoo, son shrugged his shoulders and said, “Just not at this time while we're at war.”

I think he's come to the same conclusion as I. So long as Rules of Conduct apply and there are certain protections put in place for those zany heathens, then whatever. Of course, his father doesn't feel that way, as most of my generation's males seem to think. It's just not something they want to deal with or think about.

[Anti-Bubba182]

How many Gays are in the services. I bet not that many.

[jazusamo]

There’s no reason to be conflicted. Homosexual conduct is immoral conduct and should not be condoned in our military.

Obama, Gates, Mullen, high ranking poofters and the RATS and RINOS in the Senate and House have no right to force this on our military, right now the finest military in the world. I hope it stays that way but have my doubts.

[jazusamo]

There will way too many when they’re serving openly.

[arthurus]

What gets me is that it is only67 per cent.