Newspaper Article

On Gays in Military, Views Run the Gamut; Tolerance, Trepidation Mix on Area Bases

Hall, Charles W, Loose, Cindy

1993

Overview

The new policy forbids military officials to ask the sexual orientation of enlistees and doesn't ban service members from the military simply because they are homosexual. But the policy also prevents gay service people from identifying themselves as homosexual and allows them to be removed from the military for engaging in homosexual conduct. [Juan Alvarado], 23, said most of his fellow Marines are opposed to the change, and many are questioning what will happen on the front lines. But for his part, Alvarado said, \"I don't mind. It's just hard to tell what it's going to be like. But I have a cousin who is gay, and he's a really nice guy.\" Navy Chief Petty Officer Mark Foresman, a former member of the Navy's elite fighting unit, the SEALs, said at the Command Post bar that he would follow the orders of his commander-in-chief. But don't ask him to serve under a gay officer, he said, putting down his bottle of beer and pointing for emphasis. \"I will not subject myself to leadership that is overtly homosexual,\" said Foresman, 30.

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