Unit Cohesion

When Air Force Staff Sgt. Jonathan Mills woke up Tuesday, he posted a pointed message on his Facebook page about the secret he has kept since he joined the military seven years ago. "I. Am. Gay. That is all. … as you were," he wrote. Thus did Mills, 27, mark a milestone — the day America's ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military ended. Photos: Faces of Don't Ask, Don't Tell "When I woke up this morning I felt extremely relieved and very free," said Mills, who is stationed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C. "Free to be able to live openly without worrying what I say or do will affect my career.

When Air Force Staff Sgt. Jonathan Mills woke up Tuesday, he posted a pointed message on his Facebook page about the secret he has kept since he joined the military seven years ago. "I. Am. Gay. That is all. … as you were," he wrote. Thus did Mills, 27, mark a milestone — the day America's ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military ended. Photos: Faces of Don't Ask, Don't Tell "When I woke up this morning I felt extremely relieved and very free," said Mills, who is stationed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C. "Free to be able to live openly without worrying what I say or do will affect my career.

The Army intends to give soldiers six- or seven-year assignments in the same U.S. posts to reduce stress on military families and build cohesion in fighting units, officials said Monday. That would double the current average stay at a given American post for most officers and enlisted personnel. Brig. Gen. Sean Byrne, the Army's director of personnel policy, told reporters the change was taking place alongside efforts to revamp the Army into a structure of largely independent fighting brigades.

Women deployed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are emerging as a group especially vulnerable to post-traumatic stress disorder, researchers reported this week at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Assn. More than 230,000 women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001, according to a Los Angeles Times story published in April on PTSD among female military personnel. Women, however, have been denied insurance coverage for treatment for PTSD at a higher rate than men because of a former stipulation that required combat experience to qualify for the benefit.

With U.S. troops ? including 20,000 Marines ? locked in a "tough fight" in Afghanistan, now is not the time to lift the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on homosexuals serving openly in the military, the new commandant of the Marine Corps said Saturday. Gen. James Amos told reporters in San Diego that he was concerned about a possible loss of unit cohesion and combat readiness if the ban is overturned. "There's risk involved," Amos said. "I'm trying to determine how to measure that risk.

Women deployed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are emerging as a group especially vulnerable to post-traumatic stress disorder, researchers reported this week at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Assn. More than 230,000 women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001, according to a Los Angeles Times story published in April on PTSD among female military personnel. Women, however, have been denied insurance coverage for treatment for PTSD at a higher rate than men because of a former stipulation that required combat experience to qualify for the benefit.

Nunn has stated that "unit cohesion is the bottom line" when it comes to maintaining the ban against gays and lesbians in the military. And for this reason, he is adamantly opposed to lifting the ban. What is he telling us? That he is afraid of the prospect that Colin Powell and a number of our Joint Chiefs cannot maintain discipline in our armed forces if gays and lesbians are allowed to serve regardless of their sexual identity? Remember, we are not talking about their conduct; we are talking about their sexual identity.

Essay contests don't generally get a lot of mainstream attention. The Secretary of Defense National Security Essay Competition, for example -- whose past winners and finalists have penned papers titled "Planning Convergence" and "Nation Building: A Joint Enterprise" -- has never made media waves. Until this year: "The Efficacy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the winning entry, is a breakout hit. Written by Col. Om Prakash while he was student at the National War College (he is now at the Pentagon)

Re "Guarding the ranks," Editorial, Nov. 10 Too many people are unfamiliar with the military. They usually don't know how important unit cohesion is as a major component in achieving a mission. What does the terror attack at Ft. Hood do to unit cohesion in any of our military units that have one or more Muslims assigned? Particularly in combat units, you have to have implicit faith that the guy next to you will have your back when you need him. Will that trust now continue to exist following the Ft. Hood massacre?

All is not well under President Clinton's policy for gays in the military. Lesbians and gay service members must still lie and hide to avoid discharge. But even that isn't enough. Many commanders continue to actively ask, pursue and harass suspected homosexuals. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network in Washington has documented more than 340 command violations of the new, "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue" policy in the past year, and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

With U.S. troops ? including 20,000 Marines ? locked in a "tough fight" in Afghanistan, now is not the time to lift the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on homosexuals serving openly in the military, the new commandant of the Marine Corps said Saturday. Gen. James Amos told reporters in San Diego that he was concerned about a possible loss of unit cohesion and combat readiness if the ban is overturned. "There's risk involved," Amos said. "I'm trying to determine how to measure that risk.

In issuing a nationwide injunction against enforcement of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, a federal judge in California may or may not have ended the demeaning practice of expelling service members who are open about their sexuality. It is still possible that a higher court could issue a stay of Judge Virginia A. Phillips' order while appeals are being pursued. Nevertheless, the injunction is a landmark in the quest for equal treatment for gays and lesbians.

Acting out of partisan petulance rather than principle, Senate Republicans — with help from two Democrats — on Tuesday scuttled the long-overdue repeal of the demeaning "don't ask, don't tell" policy requiring gays and lesbians to conceal their sexual orientation or face expulsion from the military. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) should continue to press for repeal after the November elections. Republicans gave two reasons for blocking debate on the defense authorization bill to which Reid had attached a repeal of "don't ask, don't tell.

Re "Guarding the ranks," Editorial, Nov. 10 Too many people are unfamiliar with the military. They usually don't know how important unit cohesion is as a major component in achieving a mission. What does the terror attack at Ft. Hood do to unit cohesion in any of our military units that have one or more Muslims assigned? Particularly in combat units, you have to have implicit faith that the guy next to you will have your back when you need him. Will that trust now continue to exist following the Ft. Hood massacre?

Essay contests don't generally get a lot of mainstream attention. The Secretary of Defense National Security Essay Competition, for example -- whose past winners and finalists have penned papers titled "Planning Convergence" and "Nation Building: A Joint Enterprise" -- has never made media waves. Until this year: "The Efficacy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the winning entry, is a breakout hit. Written by Col. Om Prakash while he was student at the National War College (he is now at the Pentagon)

The Army intends to give soldiers six- or seven-year assignments in the same U.S. posts to reduce stress on military families and build cohesion in fighting units, officials said Monday. That would double the current average stay at a given American post for most officers and enlisted personnel. Brig. Gen. Sean Byrne, the Army's director of personnel policy, told reporters the change was taking place alongside efforts to revamp the Army into a structure of largely independent fighting brigades.

Acting out of partisan petulance rather than principle, Senate Republicans — with help from two Democrats — on Tuesday scuttled the long-overdue repeal of the demeaning "don't ask, don't tell" policy requiring gays and lesbians to conceal their sexual orientation or face expulsion from the military. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) should continue to press for repeal after the November elections. Republicans gave two reasons for blocking debate on the defense authorization bill to which Reid had attached a repeal of "don't ask, don't tell.

In issuing a nationwide injunction against enforcement of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, a federal judge in California may or may not have ended the demeaning practice of expelling service members who are open about their sexuality. It is still possible that a higher court could issue a stay of Judge Virginia A. Phillips' order while appeals are being pursued. Nevertheless, the injunction is a landmark in the quest for equal treatment for gays and lesbians.

All is not well under President Clinton's policy for gays in the military. Lesbians and gay service members must still lie and hide to avoid discharge. But even that isn't enough. Many commanders continue to actively ask, pursue and harass suspected homosexuals. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network in Washington has documented more than 340 command violations of the new, "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue" policy in the past year, and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Nunn has stated that "unit cohesion is the bottom line" when it comes to maintaining the ban against gays and lesbians in the military. And for this reason, he is adamantly opposed to lifting the ban. What is he telling us? That he is afraid of the prospect that Colin Powell and a number of our Joint Chiefs cannot maintain discipline in our armed forces if gays and lesbians are allowed to serve regardless of their sexual identity? Remember, we are not talking about their conduct; we are talking about their sexual identity.