Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Marines trained on accepting gays

Sexual orientation to become private issue

Marines attend a training session Thursday at Camp Pendleton, Calif., to familiarize them with the military's new position regarding gay and lesbian service members. (Associated Press)
Elliott Spagat Associated Press

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Marine instructor Maj. Daryl Desimone stood before an auditorium filled with fatigue-clad troops, carrying an unequivocal message: It’s OK to disagree with letting gays serve openly in the military. It’s not OK to disobey orders.

He explained that the impending repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” is an order, one heard by generals and rank-and-file alike as the military tries to change the culture of a traditionally conservative institution.

Only a few of the roughly 150 Marines stepped up to ask questions.

One stood up from a back row and demanded to know why his religious beliefs were being “put aside” in favor of gays, forcing him to “basically grit my teeth and bear it.”

“It’s not really open to discussion,” Desimone said. “Nobody’s trying to change your mind.”

Sexual orientation will now be a private matter, just like religion or politics, he said.

Sgt. Jay Milinichik, of Tulsa, Okla., stood up to ask what would happen if a Marine refused gay roommates.

Marines won’t have separate barracks or showers based on sexual orientation, Desimone said. He added that signing up for the Marines comes with an expectation of less privacy.

That said, officers may decide to separate roommates to preserve peace, just like they do now when roommates argue.

Marines will not be allowed an early discharge for opposing the policy but exceptions will be considered, Desimone said.

“You can’t just walk up and say, ‘I don’t like this. I’m outa here,’ ” he said.

Classes like Thursday’s for the Combat Logistics Regiment 17 of the 1st Marine Logistics Group are being held at military bases around the world. The Marines expect to finish training by June 1, with all military branches done by summer’s end.

The repeal of the 17-year “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy would go into effect 60 days after the president, defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that lifting the ban won’t hurt the military’s ability to fight.

Gen. James Amos, the Marine Corps commandant, testified last year that permitting gays to openly serve could disrupt smaller combat units and distract leaders from preparing for battle.

When he appeared this month before the House Armed Services Committee, he said he had been looking for problems that might arise under the new policy and hadn’t found any “recalcitrant pushback.”

“There has not been the anxiety over it from the forces in the field,” he said.

After Thursday’s class, Petty Officer William Evans of Riverside, Calif., said he was a bit “blindsided” when the repeal was announced. The hospital corpsman lives off the base, but said he would feel uncomfortable sharing barracks with a gay man.

“Of course, it’s not something that everyone’s going to be comfortable with, but we’ll have to deal with it,” he said.