Posted on 03/16/2007 6:50:24 AM PDT by Ellesu
WASHINGTON, March 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A group of seven high- ranking military veterans today responded to recent remarks by General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who earlier this week called lesbian, gay and bisexual service members "immoral" and re-iterated his support for the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service members. The officers, who are all lesbian or gay, called on Congress to repeal the law, and demanded that General Pace apologize for his remarks.
COL Stewart Bornhoft, USA (Ret.); CAPT Joan E. Darrah, USN (Ret.); CAPT Robert D. Dockendorff, USNR (Ret.); Chaplain (COL) Paul W. Dodd, USA (Ret.); CAPT Sandra Geiselman, USNR (Ret.); COL E. A. Leonard, USA (Ret.); and CAPT Robert Michael Rankin, USN (Ret.) issued their statement on Friday morning.
"Our community has a long history of serving our country in the armed forces," the group said. "Today, there are more than 65,000 lesbian and gay troops on duty. Another one million gay and lesbian veterans, including the seven of us, have served in our fighting forces. General Pace's remarks dishonor that service, as does the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law. General Pace must offer an immediate and unqualified apology for his remarks and Congress must take action to repeal the ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans who want to serve our country."
The highly-decorated officers each served more than 20 years, and several considerably longer. They have earned scores of awards, honors and commendations during their careers. Four served in the Vietnam War. They have served as company commanders, helicopter pilots, medical officers, commanding officers, psychologists, chaplains, combat engineers, platoon leaders, infantry officers, supply corps officers and intelligence officers.
"Does General Pace believe we are immoral, or that our service was unacceptable?" the group asked. "Does he appreciate the sacrifice and dedication of every patriot in our armed forces, regardless of their sexual orientation? As military leaders, we never discounted the enormous contribution that every service member brought to our armed forces. General Pace should do no less, and owes an apology to our men and women on the frontlines and their families."
"Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is enormously proud of these stellar officers," said C. Dixon Osburn, the group's executive director. "These seven, who stand on behalf of one million gay veterans now living in the United States, are irrefutable proof that lesbian and gay patriots have made valuable contributions to our fighting forces. They have commanded companies, advised government leaders, fought on the ground and directed troops from the air. It was their outstanding performance and dedication to our country, not their sexual orientation, that made all the difference."
For more information on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and biographies of the officers, please visit http://www.sldn.org. Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is a national, non-profit legal services, watchdog and policy organization dedicated to ending discrimination against and harassment of military personnel affected by 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and related forms of intolerance. For more information, visit http://www.sldn.org.
Headline should read, "seven high- ranking liberl gay ex-military veterans"
Seven idiots.
Then why can't they ever shut up about it?
Now that does present a conundrum. You decorated these officers in the past, called them outstanding, moral and dedicated, and now you find out they were "immoral."
I knew gays in the military, and they served as well as any other. Of course these weren't activist types, they kept their heads down and didn't flaunt it. Activists piss me off.
General Pace was correct in what he said. He is directly responsible for leading men into combat with the enemy, he should be and is a moral person just by the nature of his position and responsibilities.
It would seem that some people are not fans of hearing less than glowing opinions of their conduct.
Too bad, that is life.
I'm going to repeat this everytime I see this misstatement. Gen. Pace did not call homosexuals immoral. He called homosexual ACTS immoral.
Homosexuals are filthy & disgusting.
Attention ex-Officers:
I don't know who developed the "moral code" that you are using, but GOD'S moral code says homosexuality is immoral.
Please read Romans 1:18-32, and then read 1 Corinthians 6:9
Clinton's Don't ask, Don't tell policy helped put the GOP in charge of the House in '94. Now we're being told that it's too restrictive. The way things are going, not bending over on command will be too restrictive in another ten years.
"Headline should read, "seven high- ranking liberl gay ex-military veterans""
.........worth repeating
"Demand an apology" Whatever happened to folks that say what they mean and mean what they say? I just wish somebody would say "the hell with this apology crap, I meant it."
I'm sick and tired of being forced to accept their perverted lifestyle.
As the Bible, in both Old and New Testaments point to homosexual activity as a SIN and immoral, so what's the problem?
I think they had more than one moral flaw. They should be the ones apologizing.
The Brownshirts must destroy him......
Then go back to destroying Ann Coulter.
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