Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Was it really a step in the right direction?

     In 2011, the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was repealed, and most people saw it as a victory for the LGBT community. The policy, which allowed for closeted soldiers to join but prevented those who were openly homosexual, was first put in place during the Clinton administration in 1993. By the beginning of President Obama's first term as President, many people saw DADT as an outdated system that needed to be changed. What they didn't seem to consider was the effect it could have on the current war.
     Specialist Micah Merrill is a soldier in the army who identifies as homosexual. When Merrill heard that the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was on its way to being repealed, he enlisted in the army in the Summer of 2011. Upon joining, he went through the same procedures as all other soldiers, until he was asked a series of questions by officers with his new platoon at Fort Hood. Some of those questions included "How many guys have you f****d?", "Have you seen Brokeback Mountain?", and "Why did you choose to be homosexual?" (The Wire).
     In December 2010, Marine Corps Gen. James Amos suggested that "assimilating openly homosexual Marines into the tightly woven fabric of our combat units has strong potential for disruption." Army Gen. George Casey Jr. made similar arguments, referring to a Pentagon survey that stated "over 40 percent of our combat arms soldiers believe a gay soldier in their ranks would hurt effectiveness, trust, and morale" (The Wire). Although the removal of DADT seemed positive to the majority of civilians, those actually involved in the military understood what it could entail. Unfortunately, there are still many old-school personnel who do not accept gays. Merrill dealt with harassment from his fellow soldiers and even his superiors, and was told by a platoon leader that as a gay person, he was "a disgrace to the uniform."
     Although Merrill and other gay soldiers face discrimination daily, they also believe that things will get better over time, slowly but surely. There is also legislation supported by the American Bar Association that would allow soldiers discharged under DADT due to their sexual orientation to request a change in military records (ABA). Although these changes won't happen overnight and there will always be some discrimination against the gay community, it seems as though things are moving in the right direction.

Military Nurses & Medics

     When thinking about the military and it's service members, people don't always consider the medics and nurses that save lives everyday. Even less often do they think about what happens to them after they are finished serving. Not only are they pressed to find jobs like other veterans, they have experienced horrific injuries which sometimes trigger post-traumatic stress disorder.

      Luckily for some, the University of South Florida is trying to help. According to the Tampa Tribune, there were around 20,000 former medics and navy corpsman unemployed "because many didn’t think they had the access or ability to pursue a bachelor’s degree." USF's new program, called V-Care, is designed specifically for veterans and allows them to receive a bachelors degree in nursing after just 4 semesters. 

     Many, if not all, veteran medics have enough experience to be a civilian nurse, so they need to be taught under professors who understand what they have been through. If able to work past PTSD, these nurses and medics can become serious assets to civilian society.