"DADT Not Going Anywhere!", Lindsey Graham Speaks

Lindsey Graham: "Don't Ask Don't Tell Is Not Going Anywhere"


U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) predicted on Sunday that the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy would not be repealed during the remaining weeks Congress is in session this calendar year.

The South Carolina Republican, a proponent of the law banning openly gay service in the armed forces, said definitively that there was no support for repeal on the Republican side of the aisle. He called for an additional study to determine whether the military itself favored overturning the 17-year-old legislation.

"This is a political promise made by Senator Obama when he was running for president," said Graham, during an appearance on Fox News Sunday.

"There is no groundswell of opposition to Don't Ask, Don't Tell coming from our military. This is all politics. I don't believe there is anywhere near the votes to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell. On the Republican side, I think we will be united in the lame duck [session] and the study I would be looking for is asking military members: Should it be repealed, not how to implement it once you as a politician decide to repeal it. So I think in a lame duck setting Don't Ask, Don't Tell is not going anywhere."

Graham is, by virtue of the fact that he has served in the military (as a JAG lawyer), widely considered a leading GOP spokesman on defense matters. With respect to DADT, however, it's unclear to what extent his concerns reflect those of his colleagues. While Graham's top ally in the chamber -- Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) -- has also moved the goalposts for DADT repeal, others have been more sympathetic to revising or overturning the law. That list includes Sens. Lisa Murkowksi (R-Alaska), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and even Jon Ensign (R-Nev.).






McCain Says "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Is Working


Arizona Republican U.S. Senator John McCain criticized the Obama administration's decision to try to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that prevents gay service members from serving openly in the military, saying Sunday that "the system is working."

"The military is at its highest point in recruitment, in retention, in professionalism, in capability," McCain said on CNN's "State of the Union." "So to somehow allege that this policy has been damaging the military is simply false."

Instead, McCain called the attempt at repeal "a political promise made by an inexperienced president or candidate for president of the United States."



His comments come as two top American defense officials are scheduled to head to Capitol Hill this week to discuss a new Pentagon report gauging the effects of repealing the policy.

McCain, who serves as the ranking Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee was critical of the report.

"I want to know the effect on battle effectiveness and morale, not on how best to implement the change in policy," McCain told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley. "I don't think that's a lot to ask when we have our young men and women out there serving and fighting and tragically some of them dying."

The study will be released Tuesday ahead of the congressional hearings where the committee will hear testimony from Defense Secretary Robert Gates, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen and the men who led the Pentagon review, Pentagon general counsel Jeh Johnson and U.S. Army Gen. Carter Ham.




U.S. Generals: Don't Rescind Military Gay Ban


The top uniformed leaders of the United States Air Force, Army and Marine Corps warned Congress on Friday that repealing "don't ask, don't tell" now would hurt the military's ability to fight the war in Afghanistan.

The service chiefs put themselves squarely opposed to their civilian bosses on one of President Barack Obama's top legislative priorities. The testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee was likely to bolster congressional opposition to the change.

"I cannot reconcile, nor turn my back, on the negative perceptions held by our Marines who are most engaged in the hard work of day-to-day operations in Afghanistan," Marine commandant Gen. James Amos said, citing a Pentagon survey that found 58 percent of Marines and 48 percent of Army respondents think lifting the ban would have negative consequences.

"Successfully integrating gays and lesbians into small Marine combat units has strong potential for disruption and will no doubt divert leadership attention away from an almost singular focus of preparing units for combat," Amos said.

Gen. George Casey, chief of staff of the Army, and Gen. Norman Schwarz, Air Force chief of staff, agreed.

"Implementation of the repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' would be a major cultural and policy change in the middle of a war," Casey said. "It would be implemented by a force and leaders that are already stretched by the cumulative impacts of almost a decade at war."

Republican opponents of repeal said the Joint Chiefs' testimony confirmed their argument that lifting the ban would have negative consequences for the military.

"I will not agree to have this bill go forward, and neither will, I believe, 41 of my colleagues, either, because our economy is in the tank," said Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee. "Our economy is in the tank, and the American people want that issue addressed."

Even the heads of the Navy and Coast Guard, who said they favor repealing the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, warned that the change must be undertaken cautiously.




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Sources: CNN, Fox News, Huffington Post, McClatchy Newspapers, PBS, Youtube, Google Maps

"DADT Repeal A Political Promise. System Is Working", McCain Speaks

McCain Says "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Is Working


Arizona Republican U.S. Senator John McCain criticized the Obama administration's decision to try to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that prevents gay service members from serving openly in the military, saying Sunday that "the system is working."

"The military is at its highest point in recruitment, in retention, in professionalism, in capability," McCain said on CNN's "State of the Union." "So to somehow allege that this policy has been damaging the military is simply false."

Instead, McCain called the attempt at repeal "a political promise made by an inexperienced president or candidate for president of the United States."

His comments come as two top American defense officials are scheduled to head to Capitol Hill this week to discuss a new Pentagon report gauging the effects of repealing the policy.

McCain, who serves as the ranking Republican member of the Senate Armed Services Committee was critical of the report.

"I want to know the effect on battle effectiveness and morale, not on how best to implement the change in policy," McCain told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley. "I don't think that's a lot to ask when we have our young men and women out there serving and fighting and tragically some of them dying."

The study will be released Tuesday ahead of the congressional hearings where the committee will hear testimony from Defense Secretary Robert Gates, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen and the men who led the Pentagon review, Pentagon general counsel Jeh Johnson and U.S. Army Gen. Carter Ham.




U.S. Generals: Don't Rescind Military Gay Ban


The top uniformed leaders of the United States Air Force, Army and Marine Corps warned Congress on Friday that repealing "don't ask, don't tell" now would hurt the military's ability to fight the war in Afghanistan.

The service chiefs put themselves squarely opposed to their civilian bosses on one of President Barack Obama's top legislative priorities. The testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee was likely to bolster congressional opposition to the change.

"I cannot reconcile, nor turn my back, on the negative perceptions held by our Marines who are most engaged in the hard work of day-to-day operations in Afghanistan," Marine commandant Gen. James Amos said, citing a Pentagon survey that found 58 percent of Marines and 48 percent of Army respondents think lifting the ban would have negative consequences.

"Successfully integrating gays and lesbians into small Marine combat units has strong potential for disruption and will no doubt divert leadership attention away from an almost singular focus of preparing units for combat," Amos said.

Gen. George Casey, chief of staff of the Army, and Gen. Norman Schwarz, Air Force chief of staff, agreed.

"Implementation of the repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' would be a major cultural and policy change in the middle of a war," Casey said. "It would be implemented by a force and leaders that are already stretched by the cumulative impacts of almost a decade at war."

Republican opponents of repeal said the Joint Chiefs' testimony confirmed their argument that lifting the ban would have negative consequences for the military.

"I will not agree to have this bill go forward, and neither will, I believe, 41 of my colleagues, either, because our economy is in the tank," said Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee. "Our economy is in the tank, and the American people want that issue addressed."

Even the heads of the Navy and Coast Guard, who said they favor repealing the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, warned that the change must be undertaken cautiously.




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Sources: CNN, Fox News, Huffington Post, McClatchy Newspapers, PBS, Youtube, Google Maps

U.S. Generals vs "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": Keep Ban During Wartime

U.S. Generals: Don't Rescind Military Gay Ban


The top uniformed leaders of the United States Air Force, Army and Marine Corps warned Congress on Friday that repealing "don't ask, don't tell" now would hurt the military's ability to fight the war in Afghanistan.

The service chiefs put themselves squarely opposed to their civilian bosses on one of President Barack Obama's top legislative priorities. The testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee was likely to bolster congressional opposition to the change.

"I cannot reconcile, nor turn my back, on the negative perceptions held by our Marines who are most engaged in the hard work of day-to-day operations in Afghanistan," Marine commandant Gen. James Amos said, citing a Pentagon survey that found 58 percent of Marines and 48 percent of Army respondents think lifting the ban would have negative consequences.

"Successfully integrating gays and lesbians into small Marine combat units has strong potential for disruption and will no doubt divert leadership attention away from an almost singular focus of preparing units for combat," Amos said.

Gen. George Casey, chief of staff of the Army, and Gen. Norman Schwarz, Air Force chief of staff, agreed.

"Implementation of the repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell' would be a major cultural and policy change in the middle of a war," Casey said. "It would be implemented by a force and leaders that are already stretched by the cumulative impacts of almost a decade at war."

Republican opponents of repeal said the Joint Chiefs' testimony confirmed their argument that lifting the ban would have negative consequences for the military.

"I will not agree to have this bill go forward, and neither will, I believe, 41 of my colleagues, either, because our economy is in the tank," said Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee. "Our economy is in the tank, and the American people want that issue addressed."

Even the heads of the Navy and Coast Guard, who said they favor repealing the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, warned that the change must be undertaken cautiously.








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Sources: CNN, Fox News, McClatchy Newspapers, PBS, Youtube, Google Maps

U.S. Military Recruiters Accept Gay Applicants: Obama Appeals

U.S. Military Recruiters Told To Accept Gay Applicants, As Gov't Appeals Court Decision


U.S. Defense Department said Tuesday that it is accepting openly gay recruits, but is warning applicants they might not be allowed to stick around for long.

Following last week's court ruling that struck down a 1993 law banning gays from serving openly, the military has suspended enforcement of the rule known as "don't ask, don't tell." The Justice Department is appealing the decision and has asked the courts for a temporary stay on the ruling.

The Defense Department said it would comply with the law and had frozen any discharge cases. But at least one case was reported of a man being turned away from an Army recruiting office in Austin, Texas.

Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia Smith on Tuesday confirmed that recruiters had been given top-level guidance to accept applicants who say they are gay.

Recruiters also have been told to inform potential recruits that the moratorium on enforcement of "don't ask, don't tell" could be reversed at any point, if the ruling is appealed or the court grants a stay, she said.

The uncertain status of the law has caused much confusion within an institution that has historically discriminated against gays. Before the 1993 law, the Defense Department banned gays entirely and declared them incompatible with military service.

Douglas Smith, spokesman for U.S. Army Recruiting Command based at Fort Knox, Ky., said even before the ruling recruiters did not ask applicants about their sexual orientation. The difference now is that recruiters will process those who say they are gay.

"If they were to self admit that they are gay and want to enlist, we will process them for enlistment, but will tell them that the legal situation could change," Smith said.

He said the enlistment process takes time and recruiters have been told to inform those who are openly gay that they could be declared ineligible if the law is upheld on appeal.

"U.S. Army Recruiting Command is going to follow the law, whatever the law is at the time," he said.

U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips, who had ordered the military to stop enforcing "don't ask, don't tell," was expected to deny the administration's request to delay her order. That would send the case to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

After Phillips' ruling last week, Omar Lopez — discharged from the Navy in 2006 after admitting his gay status to his military doctor — walked into an Army recruiting office in Austin and asked if he could re-enlist. He said he was up front, even showing the recruiters his Navy discharge papers.

"They just said, 'I can't let you re-enlist because we haven't got anything down from the chain of command,'" Lopez, 29, told the AP in a telephone interview. "They were courteous and apologetic, but they couldn't help me."

Smith was unable to confirm the account. She said guidance on gay applicants had been issued to recruiting commands on Oct. 15.


Sources: Chicago Tribune, CNN

Congress Asked To Investigate Racism In The U.S. Military.....Is "Army Of One" A Myth? (Race In America)

MSNBC----

WASHINGTON - One of the country's main monitors of hate groups asked Congress Friday to investigate possible racial extremism in the military, after finding U.S. Service Members participating in a social networking site advertised as being for white people only.

Researchers from the Southern Poverty Law Center, based in Montgomery, Ala., identified about 40 personal profiles of people who list the military as their occupation on the Web site New Saxon, according to the group's founder, Morris Dees.

The site, run by the Detroit-based National Socialist Movement, describes itself as an "online community for whites by whites." He said some of the participants are wearing military uniforms in profile photos, although it was not possible to verify whether any of them are actually serving in the armed forces.

Examples that Dees cited from the Web page include:

* A person claiming to be in Iraq, who writes that he "hate(s) illegal immigrants with a passion and feel(s) every true red-blooded, white American should do whatever it takes to stop the foreign invasion."

* One who said he was serving in Afghanistan lists as his favorite book, "The Turner Diaries." The novel is a favorite of white supremacists.

"We urge your committees to investigate the threat posed by racial extremists who may be serving in the military to ensure that our armed forces are not inadvertently training future domestic terrorists," Dees wrote in a letter addressed to four congressional committee chairmen.

Dees said existing Pentagon regulations that prohibit active participation in extremists groups should be strengthened further.

Pentagon: Current policy is adequate

Lt. Col. Les' A. Melnyk, a Pentagon spokesman, said in an e-mail that current policy is believed to be sufficient. Under it, military personnel "must reject" participation in organizations that espouse supremacist causes.

"We believe the policy ... is broad and inclusive in its definition of 'active participation,' and encourages commanders to pursue and weed out service members who actively participate in these types of groups," Melnyk said.

Jeff Schoep, commander of the National Socialist Movement, said there are members of the military who participate on the site, but not all are members of his organization. He could not say how many there are.

When violent material is found on the site, Schoep said, it is removed and the offender faces losing future privileges.

He said there are more "racialists" in the military now, but those who are members of his organization are advised not to recruit others.

"If they just mind their P's and Q's in there, and are good soldiers and do their jobs, then they have every right to be there just like anybody else," Schoep said.

Julie Ziegenhorn, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said in an e-mail that as a matter of policy the Department of Defense doesn't block or prohibit access to Web sites on the basis of content. But she said commanders in the field have the option to block access on government computers to sites they deem inappropriate.



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Sources: MSNBC, AllAmericanPatriots.com, Pentagon, Google Maps

Photo Of U.S. Soldier Defending Our Nation In His Boxers...Possible Pulitzer Prize Winner?

DUTY. HONOR. COUNTRY. SACRIFICE.

Recently the blogosphere has been buzzing with a spark of positive news. The kind of news which makes us proud to be American citizens.

A "tearjerker" photograph captured by David Guttenfelder May 11, of three soldiers (Spc. Zachery Boyd of Fort Worth, Texas, Spc. Cecil Montgomery of Many, La., Jordan Custer of Spokane, Wash.) on Fireguard Duty in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan's Kunar Province, one of them in his boxers (Boyd aged 19), has become a big hit.

I'd even say that its Pulitzer Prize award material, don't you think?

Of course all three of the soldiers should also receive recognition via Medals and Commendations upon their return.

This picture displays the heartfelt dedication our U.S. Troops demonstrate each day while safeguarding our borders worldwide.

A young man who cared more about protecting his fellow comrades from enemy fire than he did about his pants, has become the new face of all our nation stands for.

It also reminds us that Freedom isn't Free and how we should offer praise to members of our Armed Forces whenever given the opportunity.

My husband faithfully risked his life by serving 22 years in the United States Army.

He was deployed to help defend the United States in both Vietnam and Desert Storm War Theaters.

I too served briefly in the United States Army, though without having to enter any combat zones.

We're fortunate to still be on American soil, alive, healthy and whole.

However, sadly many of our friends weren't quite so fortunate.

Instead they met an undeserved, premature fate at the hands of crazed Insurgents.

DUTY. HONOR. COUNTRY. SACRIFICE.

Like President Obama I encourage everyone to not just show our Troops and Vets appreciation on Memorial Day or Veterans' Day.

Tell them how important they are to us each and every day, because without them Liberty would be a distant fantasy.

And for those individuals who frequently express disdain towards our Military, while falsely protesting that "War is never necessary because it violates our Human Rights."

You have a choice at stake:

Freedom to continue exercising your Constitutional Rights due to a Democratic Society afforded us by the Blood, Sweat and Tears of our Troops or..... Political Slavery via a Dictatorship or Monarchy.

God Bless America! Land that I love.

DUTY. HONOR. COUNTRY. SACRIFICE.

("Face the Nation" show host Bob Schieffer praises soldier protecting his comrades while wearing his underwear.")


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Sources: MSNBC, CBS News, Google Maps