Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell – A Place of Their Own

I was thinking back on my very own first place. I grew up sharing a room with my sister; money was tight for my single parent mom. We had bunk beds for almost all our time in her home and shared one black and white 13 inch television; which weighed half a ton to move for cleaning. (The things you remember are strange, eh?)



Hum, it did not happen for me right away because I went into the military at age twenty. The open bay (barracks) environment during basic training was weird at first since there was always someone around due to the flight having 50 inhabitants. Thus no such thing as privacy ever! And men drill instructors would ‘walk the floor’ and thus we all kept covered no matter the time of day sleeping in tees, undies, and socks; so at reveille 50 souls would bound to the rest room in waves to get dress and out the door in ten minutes. A major feat don’t you think?


The barracks at Keesler were more user friendly, rooms with two women per on a long hallway connected to a common day room for television.  Not a bad arrangement then again some privacy but the only space that was private wasn’t really was the wall locker. Everything had to be in its place inspection ready. YET the rooms had a door. OOOOOOOh, how lovely the first taste of security. LOL


My next station was at Clark AB in the Philippines. OMG I loved that tour it was a shocker and I learned so much about myself and the world. My roommate was Becky; she was a flipping RIOT to hang out with. One thing here I will note, she was lesbian and told me the first day I moved into the room we shared and I learned about “the Family.” So, here is a dilemma it was 1986 and no such thing as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy in place. The Air Force did have an honor code we were supposed to live by yet, why screw up a total stranger’s life because they make different decision which did not actually harm others.

Was I ever uncomfortable with her sexuality?  Noppers, because we had a defined relationship:  co-worker, room mate, and friend. Secondly, I was not attracted to her, her partners, nor were they attracted to me. (That I know of....LOL)

So, I kept her ‘secret’ because I really did not give a crap even though I could have been brought up on charges of dereliction and other non-sense for not turning her in. Even worse, our chosen paths had placed us in the Electronic Security Command ---- Top Secret nonsense thus punishment would have been swift and fierce.   Big Whoop Tee Do……


Here is another kicker folks……………… I will wager to say here. Most serving today do know of others who are Gay or Lesbian serving their country and just press on just like I did.

What got to me thinking about this issue:  I was watching the Kagan's Supreme Court confirmation hearings and Mr. Jeff Sessions of Alabama (my birthplace; he tends to wax on my last nerve with his pompass, superior air) and just have to shake my head.

He wants to make a big deal over her tenure at Harvard not allowing the BIASED military to have full access to students based on her opinion of the military’s stance on homosexuality. The kicker is, by federal law (my understanding) the military is supposed to have access to students for recruitment and they did have access through a veterans’ organization for the record. On the other side, the military is a discriminating organization which flew into the face of human rights which was against policy for Harvard.

I guess Mr Sessions would have a hard time knowing sometimes the right thing to do is just SHUT THE HELL UP no matter what the popular legal decision is at the time.


Now, I have heard all kinds of crappola about gays serving in our nations military. Ladies and Gentleman, I implore you to use your brains. They are already serving and have earned a place of their own among our ranks.

Sticks Tongue out at Hurricane Alex………..runs like the wind.