NU students debate gays in the military

Dan Choi is gay. He is also a West Point graduate and an Iraq veteran fluent in Arabic.

After graduation from West Point, Choi entered the army as a lieutenant. His first 10 years of service  forced him to act against his moral ethics, which conflicted with the honor code he was taught to live by.

Choi came out as a gay lieutenant in March of 2009 and was immediately discharged under the Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) policy.

"The honor code does not mean anything unless we act upon it and manifest it in our daily dealings," Choi said.

In 1993, Congress passed DADT, mandating the discharge of openly gay, lesbian or bisexual service members, according to the service members legal defense network website.

Choi was the keynote speaker at April's Speak Week, dedicated to creating a healthy campus climate, according to the campus activities board.

Choi's persuasive voice boomed through the hockey arena as he spoke to the entire Corps of Cadets and other university members. An avid critic of DADT, Choi presented ideas to hundreds of students who will soon be commissioned officers who will deal with the new changes. His address began a buzz of discussion about the policy over campus.

"He was a great speaker," said Ryan Hawley, an 18-year-old physical education freshman from Jacksville, N.C. "But I read his biography before and I thought it was ridiculously unprofessional for him to come out the way he did knowing the rules that were in place."

Shaquile Adams expressed a similar opinion. "His speech itself was good, but when he started to answer questions he became a bit outlandish and extreme." Adams, 19, is a psychology sophomore from Chester, Pa.

Choi introduced a topic that many students at NU have a strong opinion about.

"I think the policy is interesting," said Jonathon Schoepf, a 21-year-old construction engineering management senior from Gorham, Maine. "I started out enlisted and will be commissioning soon and I have no problem with having the gay and lesbian community in the military."

"It (DADT) seems outdated as far as I am concerned. It seems like it was just there with no real significance behind it," said Mike, a senior commissioning cadet who asked to remain anonymous.

"The policy being reversed is just reflecting how the culture is changing," Schoepf said,  "There is always going to be push back for that because the culture in the United States is changing and the military is going to be a reflection of that."

For Schoepf, the repeal of DADT is completely logical. "You want the military to have diversity and to have the racial mixture to be a reflection of the population, so bringing in the gay community in the military only makes sense," he said.

Opinions on campus vary on whether the military should allow gays to express their sexuality. "Personally, I don't care. As long as they are going to shoot the gun the same, it doesn't bother me," Adams said, "They are going to do their job and I am going to do mine."

Some students expressed doubts. "I don't even know if our country is ready for the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy to be repealed because we just don't have the emotional or mental capacity to handle something like that," said Joan, a cadet requesting anonymity.  

Although Lisa Phillips, a 23-year-old computer science senior from Midway, Utah, has never been educated on the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, she has become aware of it through conversation with friends.

"Everyone freaks out about how it's going to work, but it will work out just fine," Phillips said, "People have adjusted to females in the military doing all sorts of different things and I really feel like that is what is going to happen here."

Mike, who plans on entering the military as an officer, said the new rules will provide a unique challenge.

"As a leader we should try to make a smooth transition and support them," Schoepf said, "They are who they are. You can be a good leader and be anyone."

"As an officer, it will be my challenge to look past that and that is what's really tough to do," Hawley said.

"You live in historic times," Choi said. "There are few generations given the distinct opportunity to demonstrate the professionalism and representative nature of America's military and your actions will reverberate across centuries of military commanders who will look back and ask you what you did to enact justice within our ranks and throughout our country."

The change will be a gradual one,  predicted Mike. Even after years, "I don't think it will ever be accepted totally," Hawley agreed.

"As times goes on, this will become less of an issue, which will be healed over time," Schoepf said, "You cannot force change and it will be gradual."

If the military begins accepting the gay community, this may hasten its acceptance in general society. Explained Phillips, because the military forced gays and lesbians to hide their sexuality, that made their sexual orientation seem like a bad thing, which  carried over to civilian society.

"It is what it is and I think that they should be able to just openly admit it," said Sarah, another commissioning cadet wishing to stay anonymous, "They are going to be gay or lesbian no matter what. Saying it won't change that."

"If I am clearing a building I want someone next to me that is comfortable with who they are and someone who will do what they have to do, no matter whom, what or why," Adams said.

NU will be influenced by the end of the DADT policy. "The Norwich culture is stagnant," Schoepf said, "it's really not reflective at all." Students at Norwich seem to drop in maturity level because they believe that they are in the actual military, according to Schoepf.

"Knowing people at this school who are supposed to be the future of the military, makes me a little more hesitant," Joan said as she talked about the repeal of the DADT policy.

"So many comments are made in a joking fashion, which are very disrespectful to people who identify with that type of lifestyle." Joan said.

"There are still even racists in the military and that was years and years ago," Hawley said, "This is the same kind of situation except on a more religious and personal level."

"I think that eventually it will become second nature," Adams said, "Some people to this day still say they don't want to fight next to a woman or an African American."

"I think it's just one of those things that you have to educate people about because that is where the negativity comes from," Mike said, "People don't fully understand something so they push it off to the side."

Training is needed to ease people into the idea of allowing openly gay and lesbian members into the military and to give guidelines on how to deal with it, according to Phillips.

Phillips doesn't agree with drinking, smoking or premarital sex, but she lives with it. "I am living with it all right now," Phillips said, "This is just one more thing that I will learn to live with."

Since 1993, there have been more than 14,000 service members who were been fired under the law.  

"I think we are ready for the change," Sarah said.