I deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, from September 2007 to April 2008 without incident and with honor.
As I have said, I have kept a low profile on this issue to this point. But I can no longer abide the mischaracterizations made by politicians and conservative organizations. There are certainly real concerns about training and discipline that must be addressed, but the arguments put forth by many opponents are disapproval of homosexuality as opposed to genuine concerns about “readiness.”
The recent survey of the military echoes my experience: 92% of those who have served with someone they knew or believed to be gay felt their unit’s performance was better or the same as it was before. The repeal of DADT will contribute immeasurably to unit cohesion and our national security, and is in keeping with our commitment to justice for all.
Oh, and if I haven’t said this enough times by now, the message to Congress (particularly Republicans) is simple: lift this absurd, godforsaken, unjust policy already, it is long past due!
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