The Ancient Egyptians were probably the first people to establish a professional army composed of career soldiers. The Mesopotamians also established a professional army about the same time. These armies were trained and led by a professional corps of officers and tacitly led by a variety of Kings and Princes although many of these were generals and warriors in their own right. These armies were organized into various specialty units such as; infantry, cavalry (chariots), archers (artillery), and the usual corps of supporting units like engineers, ordinance, logistics, etc. Weaponry tended to be alike as did strategies and tactics with the outcome of battles being largely dependent on the quality of the leadership and the discipline of the troops. Battles tended to fall into two categories—battlefields and sieges – or offense and defense.
This was the pattern of warfare until the introduction of gun powder in the 13th Century. Prior to that, changes were largely improvements to existing weapons technology, i.e. cross bow, long bow, shorter Roman Lance, shield design, stronger castles, etc. With the introduction of gun powder came cannons, which rendered the Castle largely obsolete, although these strong points existed right up to the First World War in the form of the Maginot Line. The introduction of muskets again changed the face of war although the same tactics which relied on massed troops maneuvering on the battlefield under fire, continued through the American Civil War.
The reaction to the carnage of the American Civil War led to a revision in tactics, which led to a more defensive mentality reminiscent of the siege warfare of the Middle Ages where troops were sally forth from the castle and retreat back to the Castle if things didn’t go well. But World War II led to some additional tactical rethinking. First – battles became three dimensional with the introduction of the Air Force. This allowed generals to reach behind the front lines and attack the enemies infrastructure, spelling the end to permanent strong defensive positions. But in addition to the Air Force, the Armored Cavalry was now able to sweep around these strong points and render them untenable. But overall while the tactics were refined, the weapons improved, and battlefield changed to three dimensions, the essential battle structures remained unchanged.
That is while the battlefield was now larger it was still controlled by a Central Command and relied on Corps, Division, Brigade, and Battalions executing a planned strategy. Officers in the field were given very specific objectives, reported back through a chain of command, and had limited flexibility in their decisions. Throughout WW II Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, and the Air Force were major components of land warfare. The objective was to physically destroy the enemy and to occupy his land. However, overlooked in the enthusiasm surrounding the victory, was the residual war in China, which was actually a civil war between the Chinese Nationalists and the Chinese Communists. The struggle was interesting for several reasons, but primarily because the Nationalists were well armed, well organized, and supported by the Western Powers. Although the Communists had the support of Russia they were essentially on their own. They were not well armed but were well organized and highly motivated but what set them apart was their reliance on guerilla tactics and their ability to simply blend into the landscape and population.
Although guerilla tactics have been employed since the Israelites fought the Romans, they really have only been destabilizers rather than a victorious strategy. But Mao Tse Tung used these tactics very successfully and eventually drove the Nationalists offshore to Taiwan where they remain. Since that time the Viet Cong successfully employed these tactics against the French in Indochina and then later against the US in Viet Nam. But during this time several things remained constant. First, the Guerillas were backed up by trained and well organized military units. Secondly the battles continued to be orchestrated and controlled by a central command structure with the units organized into the classic military structure, such as; corps, divisions, brigades, etc. But more importantly, the various combat arms remained distinct and functioned as distinct units, other than the liaisons and this is how things stood for Gulf War I. In fact Generals Powell and Schwartzkopf were probably the last of the classic generals fighting a classic war where maneuvers were at the corps and division levels, with armor based flanking movements ala General Patton.
Gulf War II started much the same way with General Franks using division based tactics supported by the air force to overwhelm the Iraqi Army in a matter of weeks. But General Franks aided by SecDef Rumsfeld changed the face of war and it continues to evolve. First, gone are the distinctive work uniforms and in their place are the ubiquitous camouflage used by all branches. Units are now made up of combinations of Marine, Army, and Air Force personnel. These units are not always mixed branch but commonly are. Furthermore, even those homogenous units can be made up of Artillery, Infantry, and Armor troops with all being employed as infantry.
This new face of warfare has been brought about by the rapid collapse of the Iraqi military and the unanticipated rise of the militias and incursion of foreign guerillas. This new form of warfare is not only guerilla based but relies of terror. In this environment the generals and central command have largely been relegated to advisors or at the least have lost any close control over day-to-day field operations. Instead, it is the Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains, and the occasional Major who are conducting the war with only broad direction from the central command. Tactical units are now at the Squad, Platoon, and Company level with occasional use of battalion or brigade sized units. Large field maneuvers have vanished and in their place are these small unit battles conducted by the junior officer corps. These junior officers may be Marines, Army, Navy Special Forces, or Air Force.
The result has been a huge improvement in inter-branch communications, much greater teamwork, and a blending of the Armed Forces into a cohesive whole that has not been seen before. The military is changing not only how it thinks but how it fights. Most recently small company sized units have taken up residence within the neighborhoods they patrol and protect. This is in response to the guerilla tactics of blending in with the population. By abandoning the central encampments (i.e. castles or strong points) the military now is more vulnerable but also more able to determine friend from foe as they become familiar with the local population. This also gives them more frequent and reliable human intelligence.
SecDef Rumsfeld has been heavily criticized for his actions, especially by those politicians and old fashioned generals who want to retain control and to continue fighting the last war. Just as General Billy Mitchell demonstrated the value of the air force and its effectiveness against battle ships and paid the price for his audacity, Secretary Rumsfeld may be in the same category. Time will tell but it is unlikely that the American war machine will ever go back to what it was and in the future the Sergeants and Junior Officers will play a much larger role and have greater flexibility.
Showing posts with label Armies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Armies. Show all posts
Friday, February 23, 2007
Saturday, March 12, 2005
SecDef or SecDum?
You really begin to wonder how this country is able to attract even the weakest, dumbest, and shallowest people into public service considering how they are treated by media. It is unlikely even Caesar’s wife could withstand the scrutiny. From the time their name enters the realm of possibility their background, associates, bank accounts, personal lives, tax records, and any and all aspects of their lives both public and private are combed through from birth. When confronted with the question if they (the media) could withstand that sort of investigation, they always reply with the smarmy phrase “I’m not running for office” or “the public has a right to know”. I have noticed that the public’s right to know stops short of impacting any left leaning activist, traitor , anti-capitalist, or anti-American.
The latest example of the public’s right to know, as envisioned by the New York Times, are the recent candidates for judgeships. It seems that one of them “horrors!!” failed to pay his dues to the Bar Association on time. Certainly that is a crime worth preventing an otherwise qualified candidate from being accepted and confirmed – but then he was nominated by that puppet of the Christian Evangelical’s – George Bush. Another candidate has had several of his decisions reversed, which proves that he not only doesn’t understand the law or constitution, he isn’t qualified to sit on the bench. Pardon me – you would think that if this were a criteria for demonstrating competence the NYT would have noticed the Ninth Circuit Court in California. That illustrious set of judges has been reversed so often you expect them to back into their courtroom. But then they really aren’t judges at all, they are the newest legislative arm of he liberal left supported by the liberal media – like the NYT—who view the Supreme Court as the incompetent ones because the Ninth Circuit has it right.
Now we are treated to the latest attack on SecDef Rumsfeld for his efforts to remold the American Military into a fighting force capable of fighting future wars. As I recall, the military has been attacked since the founding of the country for organizing to fight the last war better rather than organizing to fight the next war. Now, Rumfeld – demonstrating once again his total failure to listen to the liberal left or to heed the sage advice of the NYT, has the temerity to announce that he is reorganizing the military into a Netcentric fighting force, dependent on special forces, and capable of fighting the wars of the future. Wars that are fought by invisible enemies, enemies who don’t wear uniforms, who creep and crawl among those who hate the United States (read Ward Churchill, Jane Fonda, most of Hollywood, and the NYT) and who attack innocent civilians. Of course, those liberals who attack the President and SecDef Rumsfeld are quite open in their belief that there are no “innocent civilians” especially if they are Americans.
If this weren’t bad enough we find that Rumsfeld is being sued and attacked for “torturing” the prisoners in Cuba and violating the Geneva Convention. Pardon me but I guess there have been changes to the rules of engagement since I was in the military. I was always told that if you were caught in civilian clothes you could be summarily shot as a spy. It was necessary that you always have some segment of your uniform on your body even if it was worn under other clothing. These were the rules and to my knowledge these were the rules used by General George Washington when he hung Major Andre, who was caught out of uniform. Now let me see—exactly how many “insurgents” were caught wearing a uniform and don’t tell me they are too poor because the rules are a “uniform” can be as simple as an armband or kerchief, but they have to be worn as a method of identification. So how many of these simple Muslim peasants were caught in uniform – would NONE work for you? As far as I am concerned they could be and should be shot – that would eliminate the issue of torture.
But lets see, it really isn’t the Americans who are torturing these simple peace loving Muslim peasants who simply want the US to leave them alone (to torture, rape, and pillage is left unsaid by the critics), it is people in foreign countries and it was the CIA who turned them over to be tortured. However, that sort of puts the Americans into a dilemma because these are the prisoners that have been returned to their home countries, who merrily question them using the same techniques that they use on everyone. Well – the Americans shouldn’t have done that – well what should we have done? – freed them, given them political asylum, rearmed them, and wished them well in their peaceful pursuit of paradise? The entire situation is nothing short of contrived for the sole purpose of attacking the President and SecDef Rumsfeld.
It is a miracle that SecDef Runsfeld hasn’t just thrown in the sponge and walked off. The constant criticism must take its toll. We are lucky to have people like him and it is unfortunate that we have people like those who run the NYT and who teach in our universities.
The latest example of the public’s right to know, as envisioned by the New York Times, are the recent candidates for judgeships. It seems that one of them “horrors!!” failed to pay his dues to the Bar Association on time. Certainly that is a crime worth preventing an otherwise qualified candidate from being accepted and confirmed – but then he was nominated by that puppet of the Christian Evangelical’s – George Bush. Another candidate has had several of his decisions reversed, which proves that he not only doesn’t understand the law or constitution, he isn’t qualified to sit on the bench. Pardon me – you would think that if this were a criteria for demonstrating competence the NYT would have noticed the Ninth Circuit Court in California. That illustrious set of judges has been reversed so often you expect them to back into their courtroom. But then they really aren’t judges at all, they are the newest legislative arm of he liberal left supported by the liberal media – like the NYT—who view the Supreme Court as the incompetent ones because the Ninth Circuit has it right.
Now we are treated to the latest attack on SecDef Rumsfeld for his efforts to remold the American Military into a fighting force capable of fighting future wars. As I recall, the military has been attacked since the founding of the country for organizing to fight the last war better rather than organizing to fight the next war. Now, Rumfeld – demonstrating once again his total failure to listen to the liberal left or to heed the sage advice of the NYT, has the temerity to announce that he is reorganizing the military into a Netcentric fighting force, dependent on special forces, and capable of fighting the wars of the future. Wars that are fought by invisible enemies, enemies who don’t wear uniforms, who creep and crawl among those who hate the United States (read Ward Churchill, Jane Fonda, most of Hollywood, and the NYT) and who attack innocent civilians. Of course, those liberals who attack the President and SecDef Rumsfeld are quite open in their belief that there are no “innocent civilians” especially if they are Americans.
If this weren’t bad enough we find that Rumsfeld is being sued and attacked for “torturing” the prisoners in Cuba and violating the Geneva Convention. Pardon me but I guess there have been changes to the rules of engagement since I was in the military. I was always told that if you were caught in civilian clothes you could be summarily shot as a spy. It was necessary that you always have some segment of your uniform on your body even if it was worn under other clothing. These were the rules and to my knowledge these were the rules used by General George Washington when he hung Major Andre, who was caught out of uniform. Now let me see—exactly how many “insurgents” were caught wearing a uniform and don’t tell me they are too poor because the rules are a “uniform” can be as simple as an armband or kerchief, but they have to be worn as a method of identification. So how many of these simple Muslim peasants were caught in uniform – would NONE work for you? As far as I am concerned they could be and should be shot – that would eliminate the issue of torture.
But lets see, it really isn’t the Americans who are torturing these simple peace loving Muslim peasants who simply want the US to leave them alone (to torture, rape, and pillage is left unsaid by the critics), it is people in foreign countries and it was the CIA who turned them over to be tortured. However, that sort of puts the Americans into a dilemma because these are the prisoners that have been returned to their home countries, who merrily question them using the same techniques that they use on everyone. Well – the Americans shouldn’t have done that – well what should we have done? – freed them, given them political asylum, rearmed them, and wished them well in their peaceful pursuit of paradise? The entire situation is nothing short of contrived for the sole purpose of attacking the President and SecDef Rumsfeld.
It is a miracle that SecDef Runsfeld hasn’t just thrown in the sponge and walked off. The constant criticism must take its toll. We are lucky to have people like him and it is unfortunate that we have people like those who run the NYT and who teach in our universities.
Sunday, December 05, 2004
A Strategic Glimpse at Ukraine
The situation in Ukraine is creating some consternation among the deep thinkers in the Think Tanks and while I think there is some cause for concern I think that at least some of this consternation is not only misplaced, I think it includes at least some underlying view that America is imperialistic. However, while it is tempting to beat that tired old liberal drum once again, it is probably more productive to take a strategic view.
The underlying attitude seems to be that the Ukraine is a buffer state between Russia and the west with the west being NATO. Many of the former Soviet States have already joined NATO and others may join in the future – possibly Ukraine. With NATO sitting on its western border, Russia would then be defenseless and surrounded by American spheres of influence to the west and south. This is an untenable position for Russia so they cannot allow Ukraine to move into a western orientation – i.e. join NATO, but is this conclusion valid?
Certainly, Russia would like to restore its former power and once again become a power capable of balancing American power. The Ukraine is vital to that strategy for two reasons. First it was the intellectual capital of the USSR and secondly, it also was the breadbasket. It also formed a buffer state between central Russia and the West and it is this fact that seems uppermost in the minds of the think tankers, but is it relevant?
I think the idea of buffer states is a little quaint and has little relevance in modern warfare. This idea is predicated on the idea that wars of the future will be fought between nation states using vast armies of men moving en masse as they have in the past. Personally, I think the Gulf War was the last of the wars of big battalions. We have aircraft capable of flying nonstop to anywhere in the world and returning. We have missiles that can strike at will anywhere in the world – as do the Russians. So what role does a buffer state have in that type of scenario? Increasingly battles are fought with special forces at strategic points, not using massed divisions sweeping across territories like the Mongol Horde. At one time irregulars were viewed as poor soldiers not capable of inflicting great harm or overcoming organized opposition, but this is no longer true.
In Viet Nam the special forces – or irregulars played an important role and began to change the face of warfare. Since that time these irregulars have become mainstream and SecDef Rumsfeld is remaking the American Army with these special forces as the core. This is being copied by military worldwide. The current battles in Iraq are largely being fought with irregulars and certainly the major threat today is the Islamic radicals who are an irregular force. Therefore, the idea that Russia needs and must have a buffer state between its borders and NATO doesn’t seem to be a crucial or strategic issue, but a political and economic one.
The real strategic threat to Russia – if there is one – is the EU. Some of the former Soviet Republics have joined the EU and if the Ukraine were to look westward the EU would represent a greater threat than NATO. While it is true NATO is a military organization it was originally created as a counterweight to the USSR. Since that no longer exists, NATO has much less relevance and it increasingly viewed as a sort of central police force. The real threat to Russia is from the EU and the economic power it represents. If the Ukraine orients itself to the West and Europe then economic ties to the EU are unavoidable. Russia is struggling to throw off the shackles of communism but as anyone can see they are having a difficult time. Putin is increasingly becoming a dictator – a virtual Tsar in the making. The economy of the country is in a shambles through corruption and the legal system continues to be just as corrupt as it was under the communists. With the Ukraine under the influence of Russia then the Ukraine does indeed become a buffer state but not necessarily a military one but an economic one. If the Ukraine forges ties with the EU then capitalism – or at least what passes for capitalism in Europe – will bring greater economic growth to Ukraine as well as social and political order. This event will not be wasted on the Russians and thus the Russian government could become unstable – meaning that the reformed communists and their criminal allies could be in jeopardy.
So while the deep thinkers are not totally wrong in their geo-political thinking I think the real threat to Russia is more pragmatic and rooted not in military issues but economic ones.
The underlying attitude seems to be that the Ukraine is a buffer state between Russia and the west with the west being NATO. Many of the former Soviet States have already joined NATO and others may join in the future – possibly Ukraine. With NATO sitting on its western border, Russia would then be defenseless and surrounded by American spheres of influence to the west and south. This is an untenable position for Russia so they cannot allow Ukraine to move into a western orientation – i.e. join NATO, but is this conclusion valid?
Certainly, Russia would like to restore its former power and once again become a power capable of balancing American power. The Ukraine is vital to that strategy for two reasons. First it was the intellectual capital of the USSR and secondly, it also was the breadbasket. It also formed a buffer state between central Russia and the West and it is this fact that seems uppermost in the minds of the think tankers, but is it relevant?
I think the idea of buffer states is a little quaint and has little relevance in modern warfare. This idea is predicated on the idea that wars of the future will be fought between nation states using vast armies of men moving en masse as they have in the past. Personally, I think the Gulf War was the last of the wars of big battalions. We have aircraft capable of flying nonstop to anywhere in the world and returning. We have missiles that can strike at will anywhere in the world – as do the Russians. So what role does a buffer state have in that type of scenario? Increasingly battles are fought with special forces at strategic points, not using massed divisions sweeping across territories like the Mongol Horde. At one time irregulars were viewed as poor soldiers not capable of inflicting great harm or overcoming organized opposition, but this is no longer true.
In Viet Nam the special forces – or irregulars played an important role and began to change the face of warfare. Since that time these irregulars have become mainstream and SecDef Rumsfeld is remaking the American Army with these special forces as the core. This is being copied by military worldwide. The current battles in Iraq are largely being fought with irregulars and certainly the major threat today is the Islamic radicals who are an irregular force. Therefore, the idea that Russia needs and must have a buffer state between its borders and NATO doesn’t seem to be a crucial or strategic issue, but a political and economic one.
The real strategic threat to Russia – if there is one – is the EU. Some of the former Soviet Republics have joined the EU and if the Ukraine were to look westward the EU would represent a greater threat than NATO. While it is true NATO is a military organization it was originally created as a counterweight to the USSR. Since that no longer exists, NATO has much less relevance and it increasingly viewed as a sort of central police force. The real threat to Russia is from the EU and the economic power it represents. If the Ukraine orients itself to the West and Europe then economic ties to the EU are unavoidable. Russia is struggling to throw off the shackles of communism but as anyone can see they are having a difficult time. Putin is increasingly becoming a dictator – a virtual Tsar in the making. The economy of the country is in a shambles through corruption and the legal system continues to be just as corrupt as it was under the communists. With the Ukraine under the influence of Russia then the Ukraine does indeed become a buffer state but not necessarily a military one but an economic one. If the Ukraine forges ties with the EU then capitalism – or at least what passes for capitalism in Europe – will bring greater economic growth to Ukraine as well as social and political order. This event will not be wasted on the Russians and thus the Russian government could become unstable – meaning that the reformed communists and their criminal allies could be in jeopardy.
So while the deep thinkers are not totally wrong in their geo-political thinking I think the real threat to Russia is more pragmatic and rooted not in military issues but economic ones.
Saturday, October 02, 2004
Achilles, Patroculus, and the US Military
This morning’s paper brings an article regarding the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy and why it needs to be rescinded. This is a topic that triggers great reaction both pro and con but I find myself uncertain and rather ambiguous about this as a policy. I must admit I thought it was one of the dumber ideas of the Clinton administration and that they should have left the status quo. In fact the gay community should have just kept their mouth shut and things would have remained as they were but more of that in a moment.
As usual there seems to be a lack of historical perspective here. There have been homosexuals in the army since there were armies. Achilles and Patroculus were lovers and Achilles killed Hector in revenge for his killing of Patroculus. Achilles was a famous warrior and no one seemed to concern themselves over the relationship between Achilles and Patroculus. The fabled Greek Phalanx was commonly composed of men and younger men who were frequently lovers. Julius Caesar was criticized as being the husband of all women and the wife of all men, yet he was recognized as a great leader, great soldier, and excellent general. Therefore, the history of the military shows that homosexuality is not antithetical to courage, bravery, or performance as a soldier.
The common complaint that I hear is that allowing homosexuals in the Army would intrude on the “privacy” of the other (presumably) straight soldiers. This sounds (at least to me) to be a relatively hollow argument for two reasons. First there are gay soldiers already there but not identified so everyone’s privacy is already being invaded and only the most naïve` guy would think otherwise. Secondly, all of us (males) have been in locker rooms all of our lives where we have been surrounded by nude and nearly nude men and boys. In many cases some of these nude men have been homosexual yet I don’t hear any demands that the various gyms, schools, and health clubs either exclude homosexuals or provide separate facilities. Now I can hear the argument already that in civilian life the choice to be nude in the presence of other men is voluntary while in the military no such choice is available but au contraire is my response because the military is voluntary. The minute you decide to join the military you know right up front that you will be put into situations where you will be naked in front of other naked men. Privacy is not something provided in the military, so to expect that you will only be nude in front of straight men is irrational, because even if the military were to exclude homosexuals (as they do) there will always be some there and that brings me to another point, which I think is more important.
The issue seems to be that the homosexual community doesn’t want to be excluded from the military but they want the military to accept their sexual orientation meaning that they wish to be openly gay while the military maintains that would be a disciplinary issue. So it appears to me that being in the military isn’t the issue, the issue is the ACCEPTANCE of the gay lifestyle as normal with the expectation that the military would protect the individual from those who disagree and more importantly provide them with the same rights and privileges afforded to heterosexuals. This has vast ramifications relative to housing but also relative to gay marriage and the associated benefits. I don’t think the military is the place to resolve these issues.
When I was in the Army, there were many homosexuals in the service. In fact it was relatively open and no one bothered to do anything about it as long as the boys didn’t make it too public and didn’t create problems that were brought to the attention of the authorities. You couldn’t go to gay bars in uniform but beyond that everyone seemed to turn a blind eye. There were places all over the post where homosexuals congregated, everyone seemed to know and no one seemed to care. Certainly, the authorities never took any action that I ever saw. In fact one of my sergeants was involved in a situation that involved a lot of men – enough to have made the papers, but the whole issue was hushed up, no one was ever discharged that I heard about, and the worst thing that happened was some transfers to other posts. That was the status quo and everything seemed to be OK until the gay community decided that EVERYONE had to accept their lifestyle and they convinced Clinton that he needed to change the military. The result was this crazy policy that really didn’t change anything except to sensitize the authorities and bring the whole situation to the forefront.
The fact is that roughly 10% of the male population is homosexual and if you figure in those that are bi-sexual the percentage probably rises to 20 to 25%. So the military is already filled with homosexuals who are doing their jobs, defending the country, and many times giving their lives. These men serve with distinction and I for one am glad they are there and would be proud to serve with them – whether they were out or not – and I think most men feel the same way. So I am ambiguous regarding the policy. I thought it was stupid to start with, I think it should be rescinded, but I don’t think I am ready to declare that openly gay men should be admitted because from my own personal experience as an officer I know that it would be a disciplinary problem. So I guess I come down squarely in the middle with no definitive position. Not a very comfortable place for a person accustomed to being in charge and making decisions, but if a gay person wishes to be in the military, as they have been historically, all they have to do is join up and shut up. If they place their sexuality above their desire to serve then that is their decision but they can’t have their cake and eat it too.
As usual there seems to be a lack of historical perspective here. There have been homosexuals in the army since there were armies. Achilles and Patroculus were lovers and Achilles killed Hector in revenge for his killing of Patroculus. Achilles was a famous warrior and no one seemed to concern themselves over the relationship between Achilles and Patroculus. The fabled Greek Phalanx was commonly composed of men and younger men who were frequently lovers. Julius Caesar was criticized as being the husband of all women and the wife of all men, yet he was recognized as a great leader, great soldier, and excellent general. Therefore, the history of the military shows that homosexuality is not antithetical to courage, bravery, or performance as a soldier.
The common complaint that I hear is that allowing homosexuals in the Army would intrude on the “privacy” of the other (presumably) straight soldiers. This sounds (at least to me) to be a relatively hollow argument for two reasons. First there are gay soldiers already there but not identified so everyone’s privacy is already being invaded and only the most naïve` guy would think otherwise. Secondly, all of us (males) have been in locker rooms all of our lives where we have been surrounded by nude and nearly nude men and boys. In many cases some of these nude men have been homosexual yet I don’t hear any demands that the various gyms, schools, and health clubs either exclude homosexuals or provide separate facilities. Now I can hear the argument already that in civilian life the choice to be nude in the presence of other men is voluntary while in the military no such choice is available but au contraire is my response because the military is voluntary. The minute you decide to join the military you know right up front that you will be put into situations where you will be naked in front of other naked men. Privacy is not something provided in the military, so to expect that you will only be nude in front of straight men is irrational, because even if the military were to exclude homosexuals (as they do) there will always be some there and that brings me to another point, which I think is more important.
The issue seems to be that the homosexual community doesn’t want to be excluded from the military but they want the military to accept their sexual orientation meaning that they wish to be openly gay while the military maintains that would be a disciplinary issue. So it appears to me that being in the military isn’t the issue, the issue is the ACCEPTANCE of the gay lifestyle as normal with the expectation that the military would protect the individual from those who disagree and more importantly provide them with the same rights and privileges afforded to heterosexuals. This has vast ramifications relative to housing but also relative to gay marriage and the associated benefits. I don’t think the military is the place to resolve these issues.
When I was in the Army, there were many homosexuals in the service. In fact it was relatively open and no one bothered to do anything about it as long as the boys didn’t make it too public and didn’t create problems that were brought to the attention of the authorities. You couldn’t go to gay bars in uniform but beyond that everyone seemed to turn a blind eye. There were places all over the post where homosexuals congregated, everyone seemed to know and no one seemed to care. Certainly, the authorities never took any action that I ever saw. In fact one of my sergeants was involved in a situation that involved a lot of men – enough to have made the papers, but the whole issue was hushed up, no one was ever discharged that I heard about, and the worst thing that happened was some transfers to other posts. That was the status quo and everything seemed to be OK until the gay community decided that EVERYONE had to accept their lifestyle and they convinced Clinton that he needed to change the military. The result was this crazy policy that really didn’t change anything except to sensitize the authorities and bring the whole situation to the forefront.
The fact is that roughly 10% of the male population is homosexual and if you figure in those that are bi-sexual the percentage probably rises to 20 to 25%. So the military is already filled with homosexuals who are doing their jobs, defending the country, and many times giving their lives. These men serve with distinction and I for one am glad they are there and would be proud to serve with them – whether they were out or not – and I think most men feel the same way. So I am ambiguous regarding the policy. I thought it was stupid to start with, I think it should be rescinded, but I don’t think I am ready to declare that openly gay men should be admitted because from my own personal experience as an officer I know that it would be a disciplinary problem. So I guess I come down squarely in the middle with no definitive position. Not a very comfortable place for a person accustomed to being in charge and making decisions, but if a gay person wishes to be in the military, as they have been historically, all they have to do is join up and shut up. If they place their sexuality above their desire to serve then that is their decision but they can’t have their cake and eat it too.
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