Don't Ask, Don't Tell

So first off, there’s THIS: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dont-navy-discharge-sailor-falling-asleep-bed-man/story?id=13085487

If you can’t be bothered to read the article, in summation, “What had happed was…” (see side bar) two Sailors were watching a movie together on a bed in the barracks. They fell asleep. They woke up only when a roommate came in after getting off of watch at balls (midnight).

I HIGHLY recommend reading the article. If you do, I think you can agree with me that the major issue in this story is not two men falling asleep in the same bed. The larger issues are: 1) two men were watching Vampire Diaries , 2) the ABC reporter actually refers to them as “sleepy sailors”, and 3) the men were cited with dereliction of duty for "willfully failing to exhibit professional conduct in his room”.

Issues one and two are humorous, but I really do have a problem with issue number three.

 As far as “homosexual activity” is concerned, with the repeal of “DON’T ASK DON’T TELL”, I’m not sure they can charge these men with anything of that nature… not that I’m saying this was indeed “homosexual activity”, far from it. It’s just two sleepy sailors, watching a movie in a twin bed on the weekend: that’s my current life. 

 So the Navy is essentially telling me I can’t snuggle  in bed with my friend Strothers (also female) and watch Spartacus: Blood and Sand with the curtains drawn on a Saturday? WHAT?!? Also, we are on drugs. Not illegal ones! I was prescribed a sh!t ton of a military/industrial strength Elephant muscle relaxer for my Posterior Tibial Tendonitis, while my friend is on a steady stream of pain killers for a medical issue. If I were brought up on these charges, I’d be fighting it all the way to the top and speaking to the media. We are not doing anything against the rules. There is no alcohol involved. The drugs are prescribed to each of us respectively, and we are not sharing them. On a side note, this is what it’s like when I take my prescription and decide I want to talk to Neal:

My issue is that these men were alone, in their room, not on duty, not doing anything technically wrong. It is described by the Sailors lawyer as “a bizarre overreaction”.  I agree. I feel that there is much latent agitation over the repeal of DADT and the Navy is grasping at straws. They cannot be brought up on Homosexual charges, as being homosexual in the Navy is no longer verboten. Sexual activity is against the rules (gay or straight), but the roommate who turned them in could not attest to anything of a sexual nature. Charging them with “dereliction of duty” is a stretch at best. Plus, we have been told repeatedly by our Chain of Command: “Hey guys, DADT is over so if you have a gay roommate, get over it. Also, you’d better be fu#king cool with homosexuals from now on or we will have a problem. That is all.” So the Navy telling us one thing, and then having a “bizarre overreaction” to another is frustrating.

Additionally, while I don’t speak for everyone in the Navy, I can say with sincerity I have yet to meet anyone in it who has a real problem serving alongside anyone who identifies with the gay community. Maybe because we’re the Navy and we should be used to it? Just kidding! There are jokes floating around about the Navy being the most accepting of the fall of DADT because of ship life (IT’S NOT GAY IF IT’S UNDERWWAY!).  But really, I think it’s just because Navy life is EXHAUSTING, so exhausting! When I’ve been up for 28 hours, on watch, PT-ing (see sidebar) and you are my relief… it’s hard to care if you’re gay. Or African American. Or really, really in to Anime. Personal prejudices tend to fall by the wayside when you need your shipmate to help you out.

No one I’ve met in the Navy has cared if they work alongside members of the gay community; we care a lot more that a person shows up on time and does their job.