Homosexuality In The Military Essay

I am writing this research paper on one of the most debatable issues in the history of the United States of America. The issues are whether or not gays should be allowed to serve openly in the military or should they stay in the closet. Society has mixed feelings about this subject. Some people think that by gays serving in the military it causes harm and some people think it does not cause any harm. Some feel that this issue is a big distraction and that it may make other soldiers feel uneasy. Therefore, many people believe that the military should not accept openly homosexuals. Throughout history homosexual behavior has been considered a criminal offense according to civilian and military law. Engaging in homosexual activities had been grounds for discharge from the United States military since the Revolutionary War. When the military added psychiatric screening to its induction process, it added homosexuality as a disqualifying trait. In 1993, new laws and regulations on homosexuality and United States military service came into effect reflecting a compromise in policy. The policy that came into effect on December 21, 1993 was the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. This official United States policy was enforced on homosexuals who served in the United States military. Under this policy military members were not to be asked about nor discuss their sexuality. If you were gay, you had to keep it to yourself and not tell anyone while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Also, you could not ask people if they were gay.

The big question in the United States military today is are gays in the military causing an issue? As of now, homosexual people are allowed to serve openly in the military. They can tell people that they are gay. H...

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...e military since the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. They still can not donate blood or in some states they can not get married. Even though the military did not make up the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, they have to obey federal laws that are enacted by Congress and Executive Orders directed by the President. The military is allowed to determined who is suitable for serving in the military. Here are a few reasons why the military would not accept someone. If you have a medical condition, the military would not accept you. If your score is low on the military entrance test, the military will not accept you. Also, if you have too many kids, the military will not accept you. I think we should come up with a new policy for the military. A policy that states before you join the military you have to let the armed forces know if you are a Homosexual, Lesbian or Bi-sexual.