FalconAngel
May 12, 2010, 12:39 PM
http://www.care2.com/causes/politics/blog/soldier-made-to-perform-sexual-favors-to-keep-her-sexuality-a-secret/
Soldier made to perform sexual favors to keep her sexuality a secret
Today I came across the The Service Members Legal Defense Network's (SLDN) website its recently launched media campaign urging Congress and the President to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT). With the upcoming Defense Authorization bill working its way through the Senate and House Armed Services Committees SLDN is doing its best urge the President to include a repeal of DADT in the defense budget recommendations by posting an open letter to the President each weekday morning. Per SDLN, "The Defense Authorization bill represents the best legislative vehicle to bring repeal to the President's desk. It also was the same vehicle used to pass DADT in 1993."
Below is a letter from yesterday that deeply moved me:
My name is Tracey Cooper-Harris. I served in the Army for 12 years, reaching the rank of Sergeant. As a soldier and a non-commissioned officer (NCO), I performed my duties with honor and distinction. I was lauded by my peers and superiors for going above and beyond the status quo to complete the mission.
And, I am gay.
I lived in constant fear serving under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” I was always looking over my shoulder, censoring what I said and keeping as much physical distance as possible between my military life and my personal life.
Even with this vigilance, I was found out by some male “friends” at my first duty assignment. I was just 19 years old. The deal was simple: Perform sexual favors and my secret was safe.
I had a choice: report these men for “sexual harassment/cohesion” and end my military career or submit to their demands.
Despite the military’s “zero tolerance” policy on sexual harassment, it doesn’t apply to those forced in the closet under DADT. I was sexually blackmailed and just a teenager.
At that time, as well as other times during my military service, I had seen friends discharged under DADT who were in similar situations. My friends were discharged, while their perpetrators were given a slap on the wrist.
The signal from command was clear: being gay was a far more serious offense in the military than sexually harassing a fellow service member. I ultimately chose what I believed was the best decision for me at the time. I let these men have their way with me in exchange for their silence.
I am not proud of what I did, but I loved my job too much to let it destroy my career before it had even started.
My decision didn’t come without consequences. I was eventually diagnosed with an STD which could potentially lead to cervical cancer later in life.
I, frankly, am still ashamed of what I had to do to stay in the Army. I wasn’t discharged under DADT, but left because of it. I continue to attend counseling sessions provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for what I went through. The memories still come back to haunt me some 16 years later.
I don't want to see other service members go through what I went through. And unfortunately, this will continue to happen as long as DADT is law.
As long as a recruit or military member meets or exceeds the criteria for military service, let them serve. A bullet doesn’t discriminate because of a person’s race, gender identity, sex, religion, or sexual orientation, so why does the U.S. military continue to do so?
The time to repeal DADT is long overdue. Please, Mr. President, do the right thing.
Respectfully yours,
Former Sgt. Tracey L. Cooper-Harris
United States Army
Currently, at least 65,000 lesbian, gay, and bisexual Americans serve in the US armed forces. How many of them have suffered or are suffering the same treatment as Tracey Cooper? As Memorial Day draws near how does DADT affect the honor of those gay service members who have died fighting for this country or the 1 million gay veterans who fought alongside those that have fallen?
Passed in 1993, DADT mandates that all openly gay services members must be discharged regardless of the quality of their work or years of service. To date, more than 13, 500 service members have been forced out of the military. This has deprived our Armed forces of the skills, talent, experience and commitment of thousands of loyal hardworking service members including dozens of Arabic linguists and hundreds of people with skills for which the military is experiencing critical shortages.
President Obama promised throughout his campaign to repeal DADT, now is his chance to act. Not only does he have a chance via the approaching Defense Authorization bill he could also throw his support behind the Military Readiness Enhancement Act which has 28 sponsors in the Senate and 192 in the House. This act would lift DADT ban on open service for gay Americans, would establish a policy banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, it would allow the 13,500 wrongly discharged Americans to rejoin the armed forces, if they wished to do so. And for you fiscal conservatives out there it would save $25 million tax dollars—the cost currently spent forcing out gay service members.
According to SLDN, "a 2006 Blue Ribbon Commission report found that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” caused the Pentagon to waste over $360 million in tax payer funds between 1994 and 2003."
The time has come to repeal this law. Over 100 retired admirals and generals support the repeal, including Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General John Shalikashvilil. Additionally, 73 percent of military are comfortable allowing gays to openly serve in the military. It is estimated that that one fourth of U.S. troops serving in the Afghanistan or Iraq serves alongside a gay service member in their unit. The numbers not only show how willing most troops are to serve with gay service members, but it also highlight the hypocrisy of our current military climate. Consistent with trends from past conflicts, discharges have dropped 50% since 9/11 thus allowing more gay service members to risk life and limb for a country that otherwise fails to honor them as equal citizens.
Public sentiment also supports repeal. Even majorities of weekly churchgoers, conservatives and Republicans favor repeal according to a 2009 Gallup Poll. Overall, seventy-five percent of Americans support repeal, a dramatic increase over forty-four percent in 1993.
DADT has been proven to be a policy that weakens our nation and sets us apart from the twenty-five other nations that allow gays to openly serve:
1. Australia
2. Britain
3. Denmark
4. France
5. Italy
6. Austria
7. Canada
8. Estonia
9. Belgium
10. Czech Republic
11. Italy
12. Netherlands
13. Slovenia
14. Switzerland
15. Germany
16. Lithuania
17. New Zealand
18. Spain
19. Finland
20. Ireland
21. Luxemburg
22. Norway
23. Sweden
24. Israel
25. South Africa
Studies of integration in Australia, Canada, Britain and Israel have shown it to be a "non-event".
It is time to remove one of the last great obstacles to full equality for gay Americans. This extra step will go a long way to bring an end to the discrimination and bigotry our nation still clings to. Allowing African-Americans to serve in integrated units after World War II did not end discrimination but it did improve our military, restore our honor and provide needed support for the fight for racial equality. Ninety percent of African Americans served in integrated units in the Korean War. In this instance, the armed forces surged ahead of civilian institutions; with regards to gays, the armed forces are woefully falling behind.
My daughter is only nineteen months old and I can only hope that they only way she hears about "Don’t Ask, Don't Tell" is from a history book that discusses it as a failed policy that Americans managed to correct as we continue to strive towards living up the principles of equality we hold so dear.
Howard Dean and Democracy For America have a petition you can sign pushing for a repeal of DADT in 2010.
Contact your Senators
Contact your House Representatives
Contact Senate Armed Services Committee Chairmain Carl Levin (D-MI) and tell him Military Budget Attachment is the way to go. His office in Washington can be reached at: (202) 224-6221
Sen. Mark Udall told the Denver Post the committee was “within a vote or two” of including repeal in the Defense Authorization bill. Udall is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Become a citizen co-sponsor of repeal at Senator Udall's site.
And of course, call the White House
Soldier made to perform sexual favors to keep her sexuality a secret
Today I came across the The Service Members Legal Defense Network's (SLDN) website its recently launched media campaign urging Congress and the President to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT). With the upcoming Defense Authorization bill working its way through the Senate and House Armed Services Committees SLDN is doing its best urge the President to include a repeal of DADT in the defense budget recommendations by posting an open letter to the President each weekday morning. Per SDLN, "The Defense Authorization bill represents the best legislative vehicle to bring repeal to the President's desk. It also was the same vehicle used to pass DADT in 1993."
Below is a letter from yesterday that deeply moved me:
My name is Tracey Cooper-Harris. I served in the Army for 12 years, reaching the rank of Sergeant. As a soldier and a non-commissioned officer (NCO), I performed my duties with honor and distinction. I was lauded by my peers and superiors for going above and beyond the status quo to complete the mission.
And, I am gay.
I lived in constant fear serving under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” I was always looking over my shoulder, censoring what I said and keeping as much physical distance as possible between my military life and my personal life.
Even with this vigilance, I was found out by some male “friends” at my first duty assignment. I was just 19 years old. The deal was simple: Perform sexual favors and my secret was safe.
I had a choice: report these men for “sexual harassment/cohesion” and end my military career or submit to their demands.
Despite the military’s “zero tolerance” policy on sexual harassment, it doesn’t apply to those forced in the closet under DADT. I was sexually blackmailed and just a teenager.
At that time, as well as other times during my military service, I had seen friends discharged under DADT who were in similar situations. My friends were discharged, while their perpetrators were given a slap on the wrist.
The signal from command was clear: being gay was a far more serious offense in the military than sexually harassing a fellow service member. I ultimately chose what I believed was the best decision for me at the time. I let these men have their way with me in exchange for their silence.
I am not proud of what I did, but I loved my job too much to let it destroy my career before it had even started.
My decision didn’t come without consequences. I was eventually diagnosed with an STD which could potentially lead to cervical cancer later in life.
I, frankly, am still ashamed of what I had to do to stay in the Army. I wasn’t discharged under DADT, but left because of it. I continue to attend counseling sessions provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs for what I went through. The memories still come back to haunt me some 16 years later.
I don't want to see other service members go through what I went through. And unfortunately, this will continue to happen as long as DADT is law.
As long as a recruit or military member meets or exceeds the criteria for military service, let them serve. A bullet doesn’t discriminate because of a person’s race, gender identity, sex, religion, or sexual orientation, so why does the U.S. military continue to do so?
The time to repeal DADT is long overdue. Please, Mr. President, do the right thing.
Respectfully yours,
Former Sgt. Tracey L. Cooper-Harris
United States Army
Currently, at least 65,000 lesbian, gay, and bisexual Americans serve in the US armed forces. How many of them have suffered or are suffering the same treatment as Tracey Cooper? As Memorial Day draws near how does DADT affect the honor of those gay service members who have died fighting for this country or the 1 million gay veterans who fought alongside those that have fallen?
Passed in 1993, DADT mandates that all openly gay services members must be discharged regardless of the quality of their work or years of service. To date, more than 13, 500 service members have been forced out of the military. This has deprived our Armed forces of the skills, talent, experience and commitment of thousands of loyal hardworking service members including dozens of Arabic linguists and hundreds of people with skills for which the military is experiencing critical shortages.
President Obama promised throughout his campaign to repeal DADT, now is his chance to act. Not only does he have a chance via the approaching Defense Authorization bill he could also throw his support behind the Military Readiness Enhancement Act which has 28 sponsors in the Senate and 192 in the House. This act would lift DADT ban on open service for gay Americans, would establish a policy banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, it would allow the 13,500 wrongly discharged Americans to rejoin the armed forces, if they wished to do so. And for you fiscal conservatives out there it would save $25 million tax dollars—the cost currently spent forcing out gay service members.
According to SLDN, "a 2006 Blue Ribbon Commission report found that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” caused the Pentagon to waste over $360 million in tax payer funds between 1994 and 2003."
The time has come to repeal this law. Over 100 retired admirals and generals support the repeal, including Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General John Shalikashvilil. Additionally, 73 percent of military are comfortable allowing gays to openly serve in the military. It is estimated that that one fourth of U.S. troops serving in the Afghanistan or Iraq serves alongside a gay service member in their unit. The numbers not only show how willing most troops are to serve with gay service members, but it also highlight the hypocrisy of our current military climate. Consistent with trends from past conflicts, discharges have dropped 50% since 9/11 thus allowing more gay service members to risk life and limb for a country that otherwise fails to honor them as equal citizens.
Public sentiment also supports repeal. Even majorities of weekly churchgoers, conservatives and Republicans favor repeal according to a 2009 Gallup Poll. Overall, seventy-five percent of Americans support repeal, a dramatic increase over forty-four percent in 1993.
DADT has been proven to be a policy that weakens our nation and sets us apart from the twenty-five other nations that allow gays to openly serve:
1. Australia
2. Britain
3. Denmark
4. France
5. Italy
6. Austria
7. Canada
8. Estonia
9. Belgium
10. Czech Republic
11. Italy
12. Netherlands
13. Slovenia
14. Switzerland
15. Germany
16. Lithuania
17. New Zealand
18. Spain
19. Finland
20. Ireland
21. Luxemburg
22. Norway
23. Sweden
24. Israel
25. South Africa
Studies of integration in Australia, Canada, Britain and Israel have shown it to be a "non-event".
It is time to remove one of the last great obstacles to full equality for gay Americans. This extra step will go a long way to bring an end to the discrimination and bigotry our nation still clings to. Allowing African-Americans to serve in integrated units after World War II did not end discrimination but it did improve our military, restore our honor and provide needed support for the fight for racial equality. Ninety percent of African Americans served in integrated units in the Korean War. In this instance, the armed forces surged ahead of civilian institutions; with regards to gays, the armed forces are woefully falling behind.
My daughter is only nineteen months old and I can only hope that they only way she hears about "Don’t Ask, Don't Tell" is from a history book that discusses it as a failed policy that Americans managed to correct as we continue to strive towards living up the principles of equality we hold so dear.
Howard Dean and Democracy For America have a petition you can sign pushing for a repeal of DADT in 2010.
Contact your Senators
Contact your House Representatives
Contact Senate Armed Services Committee Chairmain Carl Levin (D-MI) and tell him Military Budget Attachment is the way to go. His office in Washington can be reached at: (202) 224-6221
Sen. Mark Udall told the Denver Post the committee was “within a vote or two” of including repeal in the Defense Authorization bill. Udall is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Become a citizen co-sponsor of repeal at Senator Udall's site.
And of course, call the White House