[Vision2020] gays in the Military

[lfalen]

Tom
Thanks for your long service. I knew some gay people when I was in the service and also in business. Those I new were fine people and none solicited me.
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: Tom Hansen thansen at moscow.com
Date: Sun, 09 Nov 2008 11:25:56 -0800
To: keely emerinemix kjajmix1 at msn.com,  Charles Warren chasuk at gmail.com, vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] gays in the Military

> I am retired from the United States Army after serving almost 21 years of 
> service.
> 
> I have served one tour in Vietnam, three tours in Germany, one tour in 
> South Korea. and three stateside assignments. 
> 
> I have known gay and lesbian soldiers in nearly all of my assignments.  
> Prior to being reclassified into the infantry I served under a lesbian 
> senior non-commissioned officer.  As a squad leader in a mechanized 
> (Bradleys) infantry unit, my driver was (and I assume still is) gay.  
> While serving as a platoon sergeant of a 40-man platoon in that same 
> infantry unit, two of the gunners and one of the squad leaders were (and, 
> again, I assume still are) gay.
> 
> I NEVER once questioned or doubted their patriotism, loyalty, or 
> commitment to duty.  If necessity had become reality I would have proudly 
> served with these men in combat, because these soldiers had proven their 
> worth many times over and when, as they say, the baloon goes up I can (as 
> George C. Scott said in "Patton") give a tinker's damn about his/her 
> sexuality, as long as (s)he, as they say, has my back.
> 
> Perhaps those that tend to question the worth of these fine soldiers, 
> based simply on their sexuality, should reflect on their own morality.
> 
> Until then . . .
> 
> Pro patria,
> 
> Tom Hansen
> SFC, US Army (Retired)
> Moscow, Idaho
> 
> 
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