Tag Archives: military

John McCain IV, that is, meeting the president after his Naval Academy graduation yesterday.

Former Wonkette editor Ana Marie Cox puts the screws to Robert Gibbs on DADT again. Wait for the end as Rachel Maddow points out Gibbs’ big lie.

I find it more than a little annoying that while the Obama administration continues to kick out highly skilled soldiers like Lt. Dan Choi and Lt. Col. Victor Fehrehbach, the U.S. Navy has NO problem using openly lesbian rocker Joan Jett to promote NYC’s Fleet Week. Over on the website of the Commander Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, you’ll find several photos …

NYC’s Fleet Week begins today, but times are hard even for the military. Some 13 warships and other craft are sailing into New York Harbor this week for the annual observance of Fleet Week. The annual naval review that starts Wednesday is a sparse gathering compared to past years, with only three major U.S. combat vessels in the lineup. That’s …

After 18 years of service, highly-decorated Lt. Colonel Victor Fehrenbach is being discharged for being gay.

The Courage Campaign has nearly 120,000 signatures on its “Don’t Fire Dan Choi” petition. Lt. Dan Choi, from Orange County, California, is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and an Iraq War veteran. Last March he went on Rachel Maddow’s show and spoke three truthful words: “I am gay.” As a result Lt. Choi received a …

Add Uruguay to the list of nations more progressive than the United States when it comes to the military. Uruguay is moving to lift a ban on homosexuals joining the armed forces. The defense ministry confirms that Minister Jose Bayardi has signed a decree lifting the ban imposed by the 1973-85 military dictatorship. The army said Wednesday it has received …

The British army is having a slight problem with their female soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. Seems they are getting knocked up by fellow soldiers at an rapid pace and getting sent home from combat zones. It’s a good thing our soldiers don’t have to deal with openly gay comrades, otherwise there’d be all kinds of….wait, what?

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network responds: Gay and lesbian soldiers continue to get fired on this President’s watch, most recently Arabic linguist Army Lt. Dan Choi and 2nd Army Second Lt. Sandy Tsao. At the end of the day, this is what the debate is about-them and their families. Also on ‘This Week’, Senator John McCain indicated that a study or …

This clip includes a mention of a personal handwritten note that President Obama just wrote to a recently discharged female GI, which includes his promise to end DADT, although “it will take some time.”

Paging President Obama……

Blogger activism works! Americablog: There was some concern that the Obama administration was backing off the President’s repeated promise to lift the ban after the White House Web site yesterday changed its commitment to “repeal” DADT to a promise to only “change” the policy in a “sensible way.” This lead many observers, including the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, to worry …

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has gone from urging slow movement on the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell to saying it may not happen at all. “If we do it,’’ Mr. Gates told reporters on his plane enroute to Rhode Island, “it’s important that we do it right, and very carefully.’’ Mr. Gates was expanding on his answer to an …

Quite the reception.

This clip starts out with Rachel Maddow interviewing Colin Powell, who affirms his support for the repeal of DADT. But the winning quote comes from former Secretary Of the Army Clifford Alexander at the 3:30 mark.

Elaine Donnelly’s Center For Military Readiness has sent President Obama a list of over 1000 top retired military officers who say they oppose the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” More than 1,000 retired military officers, including several who were top commanders, are urging President Barack Obama and Congress to maintain the law that bars gays from serving openly in …

“San Francisco Values Democrat Ellen Tauscher (CA) has introduced H.R. 1283, the “Military Readiness Enhancement Act Of 2009.” She already has 136 co-sponsors. Her misnamed bill should be called the “Legalization Of Sodomy On The Battlefield And Barracks Act” to more accurately describe what the legislation will legalize. [snip] “This will open up the possibility that every sexual orientation could …

Upon the revelation that there is money in the 2010 budget to continue DADT, Defense Secretary Robert Gates acknowledged that the repeal of the law banning gays in the military is going to be “pushed down the road a little bit” because he and the president “have a lot on our plates right now.” The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network responds: …