From: rizzoe@FASECON.ECON.NYU.EDU (Emily Rizzo)
Subject: Gays & the Military: Nunn Replies
Organization: New York University
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 13:02:15 GMT

I received the following response from  Senator Nunn yesterday.  Since CBS 
news radio announced this morning that opposition in the military is 
stiffening, I have included at the end addresses for Nunn and Powell.

Dear Ms. Rizzo:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the military's policy against
enlistment of homosexuals in the armed forces.

In general, I believe we should encourage every American to serve
his or her country in some capacity, and I applaud the patriotism 
of all persons, including homosexuals, who desire to serve our 
nation in the military.  I have no doubt that homosexuals have
served and are serving our nation with distinction.

I also believe that we should give very careful consideration to 
the advice of our military commanders on this subject.  Recently, 
General Colin Powell, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, offered
the following observations in testimony before Congress:

  It is just my judgment and the judgment of the Chiefs that
  homosexual behavior is inconsistent with maintaining good
  order and discipline.
  
  What do I mean by that?  I mean it is difficult in a military 
  setting where there is no privacy, where you don't get a 
  choice of association, where you don't get choise of where 
  you live, to introduce a group of individuals who are
  proud, brave, loyal, good Americans, but who favor a 
  homosexual lifestyle, and put them in with heterosexuals who
  would prefer not to have somebody of the same sex find them 
  sexually attractive, put them in close proximity, ask them 
  to share the most private facilities together, the bedroom,
  the barracks, latrines, the showers.
  
  I think that is a very difficult problem to give the military.  
  I think it would be prejudicial to good order and discipline
  to try to integrate that in the current military structure...

I am in agreement with General Powell's position.  Good order and 
discipline, and high morale, are essential requirements for effective
military units.  We must be very cautious before making so fundamental
a change in recruitment policy at a time when our armed forces are 
already undergoing enormous and far-reaching adjustments to our 
post-Cold War security needs.

While I support the Department of Defense's current policy, I 
appreciate the deep and sincere concern of those who desire to 
serve their country in uniform but who are precluded from doing so 
by the policies of the Department of Defense.  I believe that at
some point in the future we will need a Congressional hearing on the
this subject.  I also believe that we may need a  review by a 
commission similar to the review now taking place on women in the 
military.  I am enclosing an article by Charlies Moskos on this 
subject which reflects my views [reprint from Navy Times of a commentary
entitled "Why Banning Homosexuals Still Makes Sense].

I appreciate your taking the time to share your views with me.

   Sincerely, 
   Sam Nunn
=============================================================
If you wish to write directly to Sam Nunn his address is:

United States Senate
Washington, D.D. 20510

If you wish to write to Colin Powell his address is:

The Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20301
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