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The army's recruitment problem - and solution

By Rebecca Sawyer


Uncle Sam's military is more than a little short staffed these days. The United States Army was projected to fall short of its annual recruiting goal by 7,000 enlistees this year – the largest recruiting shortfall since 1979. At a time when the armed forces are stretched thin, engaged in operations on multiple fronts – both abroad and at home – every qualified individual is needed to accomplish those missions. And yet, the Army continues to turn away qualified gay Americans simply because of their sexual orientation.
Welcoming gays into the services, however, could result in as many as 41,000 new recruits, according to Gary Gates, a statistician with the William Project at the University of California – Los Angeles. The 41,000 number represents an entire corps of Army personnel – a staggering number that would more than make up for the current recruiting shortfalls. By repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' the military's ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual personnel, the recruiting shortfall could potentially be erased in one fell swoop.
Gates' analysis, based on year 2000 census data, indicates that if the military's ban were repealed, the number of gay men who may feel compelled to enlist could increase. Gates estimates there are currently more than 14,000 gay men on active duty, but if the ban were lifted and their service rates rose to mirror the service rates of heterosexual men, that figure would increase to 34,000 men. When the National Guard and Reserve numbers are also adjusted, the number reaches 41,000.
Not only does the military's gay ban hurt potential recruiting numbers, it has also significantly hindered the military's ability to retain service members already in its ranks. Since its implementation in 1993, more than 10,000 service members, including those in mission critical fields such as health care, combat engineering, law enforcement and linguistics, have been discharged under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' Yet another two brigades' – or an entire division's – worth of qualified soldiers thrown out because of a discriminatory and counterproductive law.
The military's ban prevents military leaders from recruiting among the best and brightest. And when the armed forces recruits on the basis of anything other than sheer talent and qualification, our national security and military readiness suffers.
In March 2005, Congressman Marty Meehan (D-MA) introduced H.R. 1059, known as the Military Readiness Enhancement Act. Representative Meehan's proposal would allow the United States to join the ranks of fair-minded, not mention security-minded, peer nations such as the United Kingdom by repealing the gay ban and allowing personnel to serve openly. Already, nearly 100 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives have endorsed the bill, but others must come onboard to make service based on talent, and not orientation, a reality.
The United States is home to at least 1 million lesbian and gay veterans who have already served our nation, according to the Urban Institute. During their service, our country fought World War II, the Korean War and the first Persian Gulf conflict. Their presence did not distract from the mission at hand; indeed, it enhanced the talent pool and made victory more certain. The time has come to allow today's lesbian and gay patriots to serve openly, as their colleagues around the world already do. The continued disqualification of LGBT Americans from military service is not only unfair, it goes against our own national interests.
Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), who voted in favor of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in 1993, has joined Congressman Meehan in calling for an end to the ban. Gilchrest, a Marine who won a Bronze Star and Purple Heart in the Vietnam War, recently said he knew that some of those he fought alongside were gay. "You just didn't think about it in those days, but you knew there were people of that persuasion, and they served with great distinction," Gilchrest said.
That's exactly the point: service members don't think about sexual orientation; they think about mission. And it is the distinction with which they serve, and not whether they are lesbian or gay, that should make all the difference.

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Topics: Opinions
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