Government Warns Gays in the Military against Revealing Identity

Added by James Morley on October 17, 2010

The Pentagon issued a memo on Friday in which it stated that it still waiting for a final decision with regard to openly discharging both men and women in the US military who admit they are gay, and warned  them not to reveal their sexual orientation during these uncertain legal times because of the later possible repercussions.

Judge Virginia Philips of the California District Court barred last Tuesday the U.S. military from implementing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that prevents military personnel from revealing their true sexual orientation if they’re not heterosexual.

Clifford Stanley, Undersecretary of Defense, said in a memo that there is currently an uncertain environment and if the court’s ruling was to be reversed then those found with uncalled-for behaviors during their service would face serious consequences.

This came after Judge Philips said that the policy went against the U.S. constitution that aims at protecting all citizens.

The Obama administration filed an appeal on the ruling which contradicted a 17-year-old policy that allowed gay men and women in the military to serve as long as they kept their orientations hidden.

Clifford Stanley said that the Department of Defense was working hard to review how an alteration in the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy would affect the military and its performance. The review is set to be completed by this year’s December.