Washington (A.N.U.S.) — As the military examines its policy banning openly gay, lesbian and bisexual people from serving, those who have lived with “don’t ask, don’t tell” are talking about their experiences and concerns.
“In a way, I think it should just be left alone,” said Navy Seal Mike Sharpe. “The Seals and I take a lot of showers together. We go down on a big steel ship full of seamen, and we sleep together in tight quarters. I am afraid that by having queers in the military that we would start doing things that seem gay!”
Sharpe says the existing policy is part of military life. Nobody asks. Nobody tells.
“There’s nobody out trying to hunt somebody down saying, ‘Oh my gosh, kick them out — they’re gay! They’re lesbian!’ ” Runkle said. “There’s nothing like that at all. We just look for the guys who dress well and we kick them in the balls.”
Some service members and veterans, though, have had a different experience.
Dan Mantan — a former Army sergeant who served in Iraq until he was discharged under “don’t ask, don’t tell” — said that if anything, coming out to his unit “brought us closer together, literally. I had all sorts of new bunk mates after that!”
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