Marine Corps General James Conway: Marines Would Not Be 'Forced' To Live With Gay Soldiers

[unhappycamper]

Marine Corps General James Conway: Marines Would Not Be 'Forced' To Live With Gay Soldiers
ANNE FLAHERTY | 03/26/10 05:05 PM

WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps' commandant said he won't force his troops to bunk with gays on base and would give them separate rooms if Congress votes to allow openly gay service.

The comment, by Gen. James Conway, is the latest pushback by a small but vocal faction of senior military leaders opposed to a repeal of the 1993 law known as "don't ask, don't tell."

President Barack Obama says the ban is unfair, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates has launched a lengthy study to determine how to allow gays to serve openly without hurting military effectiveness.

Among the questions to be answered is whether changes to housing policies would even be necessary.

Conway, a known opponent of repealing the law, suggested in an interview published Friday by Military.com that he already knows it would be a logistical hurdle. On base, Marines typically bunk two-to-a-room.


Rest of article at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/26/marine-corps-general-jame_n_515564.html



unhappycamper comment: I hope you hate your involuntary retirement, motherfucker.

[NWHarkness]

1. Can him

This prick needs to learn what the words "commander in chief" mean.

[PFunk]

2. And once again the Marines have to be dragged kicking and screaming

They were the last to accept racial integration also.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. The Marines are that socially akward and fearful of the world?

And has Conway heard of the chain of command?

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. Heeeeee's *yella* .

Yella, I tell ya.

Seriously.... these are the guys who are facing down all our enemies.... "foreign and domestic"? Seems like some intestinal fortitude's been lost somewhere along the line. Somewhere between the halls of Montezuma and the shores of Tripoli.

No wonder they came up with the drone warfare concept. All's ya gotta do is sit in front of a PC and click some links.



>>>>The Marine Corps' commandant said he won't force his troops to bunk with gays on base and would give them separate rooms if Congress votes to allow openly gay service.>>>>>

Now... Private Rooms..... hmmmmmmmm... there's something we can talk about.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

13. I wonder what would happen to the guy controlling one of the drones if he "came out"?

Would he be fired?

[Skeeve]

5. Um...is he confused?

There will be just has many gays in the Marines the day after DADT is repealed as there was the day before.

There have been gays in the military as long as there has been a military.

There are some you just know are gay and then there are those that you would never suspect.

If I were to guess, nothing will change. Obvious gays will be obvious, hidden gays will be hidden.

At least none will get booted just because they are gay.

Old, grumpy men like Conway will fade away and be forgotten.

[Crowman1979]

6. Their weren't any Marines complaining when they lived next to a gay pornstar.

Matt Sanchez a.k.a. Rod Majors

[Crowman1979]

7. Anyone ever heard of Rich Merritt?

I'd like to hear of his opinion on this.

[Iggo]

8. Did you forget to say "anymore" general?

[sui generis]

9. so, the implication is you must admit or be accused of gayness

I wonder if there's a penalty for not complying.

Conway, you big dumb jarhead they're already sharing accommodations.

d'oh.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Meldread]

11. I'm going to have to laugh at this.

Really, I can't imagine how many Marines are cheering. "YAY! We get private rooms now! THANK YOU GAYS!"

But in all seriousness, the issue with gays serving openly in the military is broadly supported by members of the military. Finding out that Bob is gay after you've already shared a shower with him thirty times isn't likely going to freak you out, especially if you weren't homophobic to begin with... at worst, there will be much raunchy locker room humor involved.

They're also overlooking the fact that those joining the military today are insanely less homophobic than those joining even ten years ago, and the trend shows every likelihood of not only continuing but expanding and growing. Once DADT is repealed, there will be some bad moments as the bigots lash out, but we'll quickly be over the hump and things will easily fall into place.

[Jamastiene]

12. That has to be the dumbest shit I have ever heard in my life...

and I have heard a lot of dumb shit.

So, basically, he's saying that the same closeted gay people they now bunk with don't seem gay in his mind because they cannot come out and say they are gay. Yet, by being able to be openly gay, things are all of a sudden going to be different. They are the same people they were before, but having to acknowledge them being gay is the problem for him and his ilk?

That's the dumbest shit I have ever heard in my life.