As a human being, it matters not to me whether a person is homosexual, straight or bisexual. However, when I was a sailor in the United States Navy on sea duty, it would have made a major difference.

One of the reasons that men and women have separate berthing is to ensure a separation of those who would be sexually attracted to each other. To allow those who profess to be gay to openly serve in certain areas of the military, would be to adversely affect morale of those others who live in close quarters with them.

When living in a berthing space, or a barracks, with up to 150 other people of your same sex, an openly gay person could have a severe and negative impact on the remainder of those in the berthing space.

The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was a method whereby homosexuals could join the military, and serve honorably, as long as they did not come "out of the closet" officially.

I am sure that there were at least a few fellow sailors who I served with who were gay, but as I never asked, and they never told, we all served together in peace and harmony. If they had announced they were gay? The job would have been fine, but I believe that many others would have made their lives hell in the berthing areas.

Learn more about this author, Alan Fernald.
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