Lieutenant General (retired) Sidney T. Weinstein et al to President Clinton re: Gays in the Military

Sample m1), EVideng July 1, 1993 President Bill Clinton The White House Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President: We write as senior military leaders who support you in lifting the ban on gay men, lesbians and bisexuals in the military, without compromise. Mr. President, we know you are under tremendous pressure to compromise on your commitment to lift the ban. We urge you not to vacillate at this critical juncture -- you are right. We have led our Nation's troops in peacetime and in war, and notwithstanding some possible difficulties which education and time will overcome, we believe strongly that the military is more than capable of implementing such a policy. Troops are concerned fundamentally with having leaders and comrades who know their jobs and on whom they can depend. Competence and dedication are the issue, not sexual orientation. If, as promised, the current ban is cancelled, be assured that existing service regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice contain proper guidelines to govern any misconduct by any military member, homosexual or heterosexual. Suggested compromises only confirm the status quo, which has not worked. Not only is the current policy just plain wrong, but morale and effectiveness are hurt by it now. We teach and expect our military members to be ethical, courageous, pillars of integrity. Compromise will undermine, not encourage, these traits essential to our military's well-being. Gay people would continue in the untenable position of either lying about their lives or telling the truth under pain of terminating their careers and risking criminal prosecution. Straight servicemembers would be barred from honest friendships with other servicemembers simply because they are gay. Both situations degrade unit effectiveness. As a practical matter, a compromise will do nothing to quell the persistent witchhunts that have ruined so many lives and wasted billions of taxpayers' dollars. Our government should neither force military personnel to reveal their sexual orientation nor compel them to lie about it. We know from personal experience that there is often a price for leadership. We also know there is a greater price to the nation for failure to uphold the democratic ideals for which we have all devoted our lives of service. Please act courageously on this issue. Your troops will follow your orders and your leadership as Commander-in-Chief. Very Respectfully, Enga P. Forte Lieutenant General (Ret.) Sidney Weinstein Brigadier General (Ret.) Evelyn P. Foote Signatures Continue on Next Page President Bill Clinton July 1, 1993 Page Two Additional Signatories: Colonel (Ret.) Graham E. Beard, USA Captain (Ret.) James T. Bush, USN Colonel (Ret.) Karl Cropsey, USA Colonel (Ret.) Amy D. Geissinger, USA Colonel (Ret.) Bob Guida, USA Colonel (Ret.) Richard A. Littlestone, USA Colonel (Ret.) Lucian K. Truscott III, USA Colonel (Ret.) Frank W. Willett, USA Captain (Ret.) William K. Yates, USN Commander (Ret.) Hank Carde, USN Commander (Ret.) Beth Coye, USN Commander (Ret.) Robert M. Eastman, USN Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Mary G. Johancen, USA Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Charles F. Magness, USA Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Mary Spring, USA Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Dorene J. Steklasa, USA Lieutenant Commander (Ret.) Michael Gore, USN Captain (Ret.) Gerald L. Rosanbalm, USA Master Sergeant (Ret.) Mason Burdette, USAF Senior Chief Petty Officer (Ret.) John Kressley, USN Gunnery Sergeant (Ret.) Mary Dodd, USMC Chief Petty Officer Walter Illes, USN