Why America is Less Safe Because of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ (Part 3)

Former Army linguist Alexander Nicholson recently described how the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy has impeded efforts to keep America safe. A shortage of Arabic linguists in the Department of Defense's national security unit meant that two crucial phrases uttered on Sept. 10, 2001, didn't get translated until Sept. 12 -- the day after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Those phrases were "tomorrow is zero hour" and "the match begins tomorrow," Nicholson told a crowd last week in Des Moines. “Any of the 60 of the Arab linguists the DOD was forced to fire because of the DADT law could’ve easily translated those phrases from Arabic into English and helped save American lives,” he said.

Nicholson, a former Army linguist who was discharged after he was outed, joined the Human Rights Campaign’s, “A Legacy of Service” tour to speak out against the DADT policy. Joined by four other veterans at the campaign’s national kick-off at the Iowa Historical Building, Nicholson used his story to illustrate how DADT and the firing of gay linguists has made America more vulnerable.

“Congress is forcing the military to fire some of its best and brightest assets and will continue to do so until the Military Readiness Enhancement Act is passed and singed into law,” said Nicholson. “No one wants to play politics with the lives of your children and our brothers, but the mandated firing of critical personnel puts our troops into danger and makes America less safe.”

Nicholson, a trained human intelligence collector, was discharged six months after 9/11, when, out of spite, a friend of his used the military chain of command to “out” him. He is not alone. Since DADT was implemented in 1993, more than 11,000 soldiers have been discharged from the military. Of these, 323 were linguists, 60 of whom specialized in Arabic. Today, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has nearly 1,000 personnel, but only a handful of fluent Arabic speakers.

Meanwhile, as the Army struggles to recruit new soldiers and meet the demands of the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon is firing two gay people every day. Instead of pushing Congress to pass the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1246 ), which would repeal DADT, the Army has taken other steps to meet these demands such as enlisting felons, extending the age limit to 42, and extending soldiers’ deployment tours from 12 months to 15 months. On Monday, the Pentagon announced that it was considering the idea of a maximum 120-day extension for roughly 15,000 troops currently serving in Iraq.

Not only does DADT hurt recruitment efforts, but Nicholson contends the policy undermines soldiers and the commanders on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, who, by law, cannot speak out against military policies. “The ban on gay men and women in the military is an insult to the commanders on the ground, because it tells them that Congress does not trust them to do their jobs and keep order and discipline in their units,” said Nicholson. “And it’s an insult to our troops, because it assumes that they are so prejudiced and unprofessional that their own order and discipline would fall apart if they knew a gay man or woman was serving beside them.” A 2006 study conducted by Zogby International and the Michael D. Palm Center revealed that 73 percent of U.S. troops are comfortable in the presence of gays and lesbians.

The military has traditionally led the fight when it comes to mandating policies that combat discrimination, but it has yet to fully open its gates to gay soldiers. “When I walked through the gates at my boot camp in Ft. Benning, Georgia, my drill instructor made it very clear,” said Nicholson. “If you have a problem working and serving beside women, leave it at the gate. If you have a problem working and serving beside African-Americans, leave it at the gate.’ And he could just as easily say, for the good of our country, if you have a problem working beside a gay man or woman, leave it at the gate.”

Related Story:

“Lift the Ban” organization has released a short film, “’Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and Gay Arabic Linguists.” The film was produced by the “Brave New Foundation” and features Stephen Benjamin, a former Navy Arabic Linguist, who was discharged under the DADT policy. Also, be sure to read Benjamin’s op-ed piece, "Don't Ask, Don't Translate," which was originally published in the “New York Times.”

Arabic translator fired from the Navy for being gay



Read Part 1: "Human Rights Campaign Launches 'Legacy of Service' Tour"

Read Part 2: "'Legacy of Service' Vets Speak Out Against 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'"

‘Legacy of Service' Vets Speak Out against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ (Part 2 of series)

Marine veterans Eric Alva and Antonio Agnone decided they no longer can remain silent about the discriminatory repercussions of the U.S. Armed Forces' “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Alva, a retired Marine staff sergeant who lost a leg in the Iraq War, told an audience in Des Moines on Tuesday: “I am a man who survived war, a man who survived a battle, only to come home to another battle, and that battle is for equality.”

Eric Alva (left) and Antonio Agnone (right) speak out against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in Des Moines

Alva was joined by Agnone and three other veterans (see below) as part of the Human Rights Campaign’s national kick-off of its “Legacy of Service” tour. The nation’s largest gay civil rights organization began its tour against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in Iowa because of the state's lead-off status in the presidential campaign. Tuesday's event was held at the Iowa Historical Museum.

Pictured from left to right: Eric Alva, Antonio Agnone, Alexander Nicholson, James S. Taylor, and Jarrod Chlapowski

Not only does the HRC want to repeal the policy by educating politicians and the public about the facts and adverse consequences, but it also wants to put a face on the campaign. Veterans directly affected by the policy enlisted in the “Legacy of Service” tour to share their personal stories and sacrifices to audiences across America.

Eric Alva, a 33-year-old leading spokesman for the campaign, was wounded on his first day in Iraq in March 2003. “I was on a logistical convoy when we entered Basra,” said Alva. “I was preparing an MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) when I stepped on a land mine. I was thrown 10 feet and remained conscious through the whole ordeal. I had several injuries, including nerve damage, and my leg had to be amputated.”

Alva was the first soldier to be wounded in the war and the first recipient of the Purple Heart. Alva felt it was necessary to speak up against DADT. “It’s my obligation, moreover, it was my responsibility to the millions and millions of people in this country that deserve the same freedoms as everybody else. I fought for a nation that exemplifies to the rest of the world that we are a country of free citizens, and I was fighting for those rights and freedoms for everyone, all Americans and not just some. That is why I decided to come forward.”

In March, Alva sat alongside U.S. Rep. Martin Meehan, D-Mass., as he introduced the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1246), which attempts to correct the discriminatory and unworkable DADT policy.

“The reasons why this policy is repealed are crucial,” said Alva. “Mine is basic. Mine is for the human rights and what I have sacrificed. Losing a leg in Iraq was something that will never be replaced. I tell people today that of the 3,500 people who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for the rights and freedoms for all citizens of our country, some of them are gay. And we must honor them.”

Agnone, now 27, comes from a long line of military service and earned his commission as an officer in the Marines out of a sense of duty to his country. “I think it’s one of the noblest things you can do.”

When Agnone was assigned to a combat engineer battalion, he knew he would be deployed to Iraq. “I was excited about the aspect of being deployed, because it would give me the chance to actively lead my soldiers in battle.” While leading his men in Iraq in 2004, Agnone’s primary goal was detecting and disabling IEDs (Individual Explosive Devices).

“The experiences of deployment are stressful enough, without having to deal with the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy,” said Agnone. “I remember the day that I was first shot at while standing on a roof in downtown Baghdad, while fortifying quarters for a place for my men to sleep that night.

“However, ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ places an additional burden on gays and lesbians serving," he said. "While deployed in Iraq, I had been with my partner for three years, and what I did not realize is that there would be a lot of worries that would pop up while deployed. I didn't know, beforehand, that if anything were to happen to me, there would be no way of getting a hold my partner to let him know what had happened.”

Therefore, when Agnone returned from Iraq, he consulted his family and decided to end his military career by not re-enlisting. “I am one of the untold numbers of people who decided not to continue their service because of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ I very much would like to continue my service in the military, however, I cannot deploy again. It’s not fair to my family and the people I love.”

Click here to read Part I of the series, "Human Rights Campaign Launches 'Legacy of Service' Tour"

Click here to read Part III of the series, “Why America is Less Safe Because of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’”

Human Rights Campaign Launches ‘Legacy of Service’ Tour (Part I of series)

On Tuesday night, the nation’s largest gay civil rights organization kicked off its “A Legacy of Service” campaign at the Iowa Historical Society in downtown Des Moines. The Human Rights Campaign chose to begin its tour against the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in Iowa because of its lead-off status in the presidential campaign.

“The eyes of the nation and the eyes of the world are on Iowa as we elect our next president,” said Joe Solmonese, president of the HRC. “As you already saw in the presidential debates, GLBT issues are going to be a part of the discussion as they were four years ago.”

The kick-off for the tour comes days after the Democratic and Republican presidential debates aired live on CNN, where the issue of repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" took center stage. When asked by the moderator, Wolf Blitzer, to raise their hands if they support the repeal of the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, all of the Democrats raised their hands. Not a single Republican candidate spoke in support of repealing the policy. “What this really says to us is the battle could not be more clearly drawn as to what’s at stake,” said Solmonese.

Upon entering the Iowa Historical Building, attendees were greeted with the presidential images contrasting the party views on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

After praising Iowa for its latest legislative efforts supporting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues, namely amending the Iowa Code to extend civil rights protections, Solmonese introduced state Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs (see pic).

Gronstal delivered a prepared speech that illustrated Iowa’s historical accomplishments in civil rights. Touting this year’s accomplishments during the legislative session, Gronstal emphasized how proud he was to have helped pass the gay rights bill. “No citizen should lose their job because of their sex, race, religion, or creed.” As for the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy, he said, “The battle to get rid of this ridiculous federal policy begins here tonight.”

He read off some names of GLBT Iowa veterans who have spoken out against DADT, called them up to center stage and thanked them for their military commitment and service.

GLBT Iowa Veterans receive acknowledgment and standing ovation from crowd for their military service

From there, the event moved to the big screen, where debate highlights of the presidential candidates' responses to whether or not they would repeal the DADT policy were broadcast. Before turning the evening over to the panel of veterans, Solmonese said the goal of the HRC and the “Legacy of Service” campaign was finding a smart way to move the debate forward. Holding events in places where the presidential candidates were going to appear was the first step, while education will be the second. “We can’t rely on Mitt Romney’s take on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ We need to get the real facts out there.”

Next, the HRC broadcast a video, illustrating the history of GLBT's serving in the armed forces:

HRC’s Legacy of Service Campaign



Part II of the series will profile the five veterans (below) who spoke at the event and their remarks as part of the panel.

Pictured from left to right: Eric Alva, Antonio Agnone, Alexander Nicholson, James Taylor, Jarrod Chlapowski

Read Part 2: "'Legacy of Service' Vets Speak Out Against 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'"

Read Part 3: "America is Less Safe Because of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'"

Human Rights Campaign to Launch National Tour in Iowa to Repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay civil rights organization, will start its “A Legacy of Service” tour against the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in Des Moines. The event will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Iowa Historical Society in downtown Des Moines.

The national tour features the voices of a diverse group of veterans who have served under the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, including former Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, the first U.S. service member wounded in Iraq. Alva lost his leg on March 21, 2003, when he stepped on a landmine while traveling in Iraq in a convoy. Alva was awarded a Purple Heart and received a medical discharge form the military.

The kick-off for the tour comes days after the Democratic and Republican presidential debates aired live on CNN, where the issue of repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” took center stage. When asked by the moderator, Wolf Blitzer, to raise their hands if they support the repeal of the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, all of the Democrats raised their hands. Standing in stark contrast, not a single Republican candidate spoke out in support of repealing the policy.

Former Marines Corps officer Antonio Agnone also will join the kick-off event in Des Moines. Agnone responded to the Republican candidates' lack of support: “…Because last night those candidates did more than just not raise their hand. They dishonored my service and the sacrifice of my brothers and sisters. And we'll never forget.”

Antonio Agnone's Response



“This national tour will show the faces of those who have served and sacrificed under this discriminatory policy,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “The American people have already overwhelmingly decided that our military should be about service and not about holding on to policies that dishonor our troops.

“During the beginning of the 2008 presidential election, this tour will ensure that the debate around repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is focused on the real issue at hand,” Solmonese added. “Those candidates running to be the next commander in chief will have to decide if they believe the sexual orientation of an Arabic linguist is more important than their ability to potentially decode the next piece of intelligence that could finally capture Osama Bin Laden.”

Fact Sheets Compiled by the Human Rights Campaign:

‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Poses Exorbitant Costs to the Military and Nation.

1. ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Poses Exorbitant Costs to the Military and Nation.
Nearly 800 specialists with critical skills have been fired from the U.S. military under DADT, including 323 linguists, 55 of whom specialized in Arabic (Government Accountability Office report).

2. At least 65,000 gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans are already protecting our homeland (Urban Institute report). More than 10,000 have been discharge under DADT since the policy was implemented in 1993.

3. American taxpayers have paid between $250 million and $1.2 billion to investigate, eliminate and replace qualified, patriotic service members who want to serve their country but can’t because expressing their sexual orientation violates DADT (Government Accountability Office report). That money could be better spent on at least a dozen Blackhawk helicopters, armored plates for tanks and Humvees or Kevlar body armor for troops.

Americans Support Allowing Gays and Lesbians to Serve Openly.

1. Sixty-seven percent of civilians support allowing gays to serve openly (Annenberg 2004 survey). In 2003, Fox News reported 64 percent support, and the Gallup organization 79 percent, on a similar question.

2. Nearly three in four troops (73 percent) say they are personally comfortable in the presence of gays and lesbians (Zogby International & the Michael D. Palm Center 2006 study).

3. One in four U.S. troops who served in Afghanistan or Iraq knows a member of their unit who is gay. More than 55 percent of the troops who know a gay colleague said the presence of gays or lesbians in their unit is well-known by others (Zogby International). The DADT policy serves no purpose, as troops already know and are comfortable serving alongside gays and lesbians.

4. All published Pentagon studies, including the 1993 Rand Report, conclude that there should be no special restrictions on service by gay personnel.

5. Twenty-four other nations, including Great Britain, Australia, Canada and Israel, already allow open service by gays and lesbians, and none of the 24 report morale or recruitment problems. Nine nations allowing open service have fought alongside American troops in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In addition, 12 nations allowing open service fought alongside U.S. troops in Operation Enduring Freedom.

6. Twenty-three of the 26 NATO nations allow gays and lesbians to serve openly and proudly. The United States, Turkey and Portugal are the only NATO nations that forbid gays and lesbians to serve openly in the armed services.

7. Federal CIA, FBI, Defense Intelligence Agency and Secret Service agents all serve proudly as openly gay and lesbian personnel fighting the war on terrorism.

Related Commentary: Read Stephen Benjamin’s op-ed piece, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Translate,” in today’s “New York Times.” Benjamin, a former petty officer second class in the Navy, was an Arabic translator, who was discharged under the military’s DODT policy.