University of Wisconsin students Derek House, Justin Hager and UW alumnus John Alaniz attempted to enlist in the Army on Aug. 30. The Army Recruiting Station on the east side of Madison could not allow them to enlist because they told the recruiter that they were openly gay, violating the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy.
On Sept. 27, Mr. House organized a sit-in in front of the Army Recruiting Center as a part of a nationwide "Soulforce Right to Serve Campaign," whose goal is to overturn the 1993 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy. The Madison Police Department arrested the five protestors for misdemeanor trespassing.
These men stood up for what they believe to be wrong, and they believe they have a right to serve in the military despite the official policy.
In light of recent events, their stance is not unwarranted. All branches of the service claim that they are succeeding at their recruiting goals; but in fact, the Army has called inactivated soldiers numerous times since 9/11, and the Marine Corps just last month announced a call up for 2,500 former Marines. There is a disparity between the official party line and the reality that the armed forces are short of boots to put on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Not only has the military had to call up inactivated service members, but the military has lowered the standards required to be able to join the armed forces. The New Republic published in September that the number of recruits who scored "below average" on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) being allowed to enlist has doubled, and the maximum age to enlist has been raised to 42. While the Army did make its recruiting goals for fiscal year 2006, there is a question about the quality of these potential soldiers and the future of the Army.
The Rand Cooperation reported that recruits in Category IV (those who scored below average) do not perform to standard in critical tasks. When teams of soldiers from a signal battalion were given the task of making a communications system operational, 67 percent of Category IIIA soldiers succeeded while only 29 percent of Category IV soldiers could complete the task to standard. By raising the number of Category IV recruits, the military will damage their operational readiness in the near future. Considering the sophistication of the operational environment in Iraq and Afghanistan, the military should be attracting higher-quality recruits to fight in wars that require a soldier to think critically, make split-second decisions in an urban environment, and treat civilians on the battlefield ethically and with the proper cultural awareness. Recruiting for quantity out of desperation instead of quality will only degrade the capabilities of the military.
Despite their recruiting woes, the military still upholds the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy. A majority of Americans now support allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the armed forces. A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center in March 2006 reported that 60 percent of Americans support gays in the military. While there is support for legislation such as Military Readiness Enhancement Act (the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"), Congress is not considering the measure. This may be because 46 percent of Republicans and 58 percent of conservative Republicans do not support allowing gays to serve in the military.
When Americans perceive that the government is doing a disservice, most Americans complain that they cannot do anything about it. While this city and campus are famous for their activism, it is rare in 2006 to find students who are willing to be arrested for their beliefs. Being openly gay is difficult; being openly gay and willing to sacrifice for one's country takes a personal courage that few have. These three men are doing what they think is right, legally and morally. Despite being the definition of the Army Value of "Integrity," the Army will not give them the opportunity to live up to that standard.
While many college students are obsessed with their studies, partying or their newest relationship, there are still some on this campus who live the Madison ideal by having the personal courage to stand up and sit in defiance of what they think is wrong. With some persistence, these three men may soon be able to display their selfless natures by serving their country, out loud and proud of whom they are and the country for which they are serving.
Jeff Carnes ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in linguistics and a veteran of Kosovo and Iraq.
