Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Reform Takes Another Step, Recruiters Now Accepting Openly Gay Applicants

San Francisco (Obama.net)- For decades, homosexuals have been discriminated against in the United States military. Openly lesbian and gay individuals were not allowed to join and become a part of any branch of the American military. After much protest about the issue, the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was deemed unconstitutional by a federal court judge.

After a subsequent uproar throughout the country, the Pentagon has now given military recruiters the okay to accept any and all homosexuals who apply.

Part of the original “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy is still in tact as recruiters are not permitted to ask applicants if they are homosexual or not. However, if an applicant admits their homosexuality without being asked and they still meet all of the requirements for regular applicants, the application should still go through.

Recruiters are being told that if an applicant honestly tells them that they are in fact homosexual, then the recruiter must make it clear to the applicant that the decision by the judge is still in the appeals process and may in fact be overturned.

The decision is expected to move to San Francisco’s Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals soon.

Aubrey Sarvis, the Executive Director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network said to homosexual military applicants, “during this interim period of uncertainty, service members must not come out and recruits should use caution if choosing to sign up,” and that “if you come out now, it can be used against you in the future by the Pentagon.”

Former members of all branches of the military who were discharged after their admission of their homosexuality are already returning to the recruiting offices and signing back up to finish what they once started.

Former Marine Will Rodriguez-Kennedy said about his not completing his contract due to his sexual orientation, “it’s a feeling of not having completed a full tour.” He is one of many Americans who want to honor the contracts they once signed.

Those men and women are now going to be joined by countless other proud Americans who can now confidently join the American military without worrying about being kicked out or not even being allowed to apply just because of their sexual orientation.

While there is a chance that the decision will be overturned in San Francisco in the near future, for the time being, homosexual men and women in the United States who want to join the military can do so if they choose to.