DADT

I looked the guidance for blogging in the Marine Corps. below:

http://www.usmc.mil/usmc/Pages/SocialMediaGuidance.aspx


So I got to write the following.

"the postings on this site are my own and don’t represent Marine Corps’ positions or opinions.”

Ok now I'm gonna discuss the following without offending anybody. If you're offend by homosexuality stop reading.

Recently Congress passed the repeal of DADT policy. Wow huh, what a big policy change here. It has to be ok by the chief of staffs and then there's a waiting period before the implement the changes. I'm getting out in Aug, so I won't see all the implemented changes and how this is all gonna turn out.


Anyways when this got passed a few weeks ago, they held a all hands formation to explain this all to us. Part of the time they were trying to reassure people that things will be ok. That they won't get rape by a gay roommate or anything absurd like that.


anyways here some questions and thoughts on the subject.

How are they going to arrange living quarters?

Well appartenly there's not going to any separation of barracks quarters or squad bays or training. However the Command can move personel around depending on the circumstances. ex: to accommodate personnel request. With this policy people were slightly uncomfortable with this. " I don't wanna be roomed with a gay roommate, etc etc.." People were worried there was gonna be gay sex in the brrks. But sex is not allowed in the brrks anyways. Many brrks have 2 rooms share a set of showers. Nothing gonna change there ethier.


Another trouble i see in the far future is gay marriage. Right not it's not allowed in many states and it's not allowed in the Marine Corps. But the way things are, gay people would are going to say "why can't we get married, we should have the same rights". Lets say gay marriage gets allowed on a federal level. In the military, married people get housing allowance to live off base or to provide housing for their spouses and children. I don't see how the military can afford to pay a housing allowance for everyone. If they legalize gay marriage, I can see Marines marrying each other to get out of the barracks and to get their own place. One things leads to another. And this might not lead to a good place.

A thought that I think lot of people are wondering. How does policy change affect the military culture. Usually when people think of the military, they think of conservative, macho, discipline, physical fit, etc. Gay is not really in it. (unless you think of the navy). Marine Corps culture is especially, for a lack of a better word macho. From what I see it reaction and opinion varies from unit to unit.

To better understand the Marines Cultured is varied. An example the culture in the air wing is usually more lax, Okinawa Marines are strict, Division have puts more responsibility on Nco's, and the list goes on

So this policy seems to affect people very differently. I'm sure grunts are not to pleased about this. Then again a lot gay things happens on ships. Some units everybody already knows who the gay guy is. Yeah he's the guy who's get everyone into cool parties and hooks his buddies up with girls. Other units just gay bash the hell outta a slightly feminine Marine. On ship there's lots of gay things that happen. People pretend to act game and play games like gay chicken. So it gonna be different from place to place. Overall in general, some officer said this and I agree. He said the Marine Corps attract a certain type of person. These are the type of person joining the Corps. And a Marine is a Marine regardless.

Last thought. Have not been in the Corps to long, but compared to the stories I hear about how things used to be; I can only say the Corps is changing to be more corporate like. What I mean by this that there is complaints and forms and procedure, politics, political correctness, in issues like equal opportunity, sexual harassment, no hazing. Things like I'm a female and a minority I have lots of rights.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this stuff is bad. It's just this stuff has a lot of redtape, and a lot of people just use the system to get what they want or to cause trouble.

With the policy repealed, I can see a lot of complaints come up. If someone SNCO says an off remark, I can see people reporting it, blowing out it out of proportion. People will do this, use the system. I can see a Marine who doesn't like his boss, and gets him removed by making complaints when someone slips up and says the word faggot or something.

I mean in the military how effective is the chain of command, following orders and authority, if i can in a lack of better term, blackmail or have something i can hold to my chain of command. Ex: Ssgt is giving a negative counseling and making me do work details that I don't want to do. So I complain and report that I heard him say "thats gay" or "faggot". (which in the workplace is pretty common). Now Ssgt is no longer in charge of me (temporarily) and is under investigation that could be career ending. Now who is going to risk all that trouble or rather just appease the complaining guy. This already happens with equal opportunity issuses. Not it's just going to happen more.

Hope this works in the military and that they can integrate this somewhat smoothly.

It's a long post. Feel free to comment.

Note: there hasn't been anybody coming out of the closet in my unit.