U.S. Rear Admiral Alan M. Steinman currently serves as a consultant in cold-weather medicine; holds the position of professional affiliate with the Health, Leisure and Human Performance Research Institute at the University of Manitoba; and is a fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine. He serves on the advisory board of directors for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network—a national non-profit providing direct services to military members affected by Don't Ask, Don't Tell ( DADT ) —and he is co-founder of the Puget Sound ( Wash. ) chapter of the American Veterans for Equal Rights.
Steinman, along with Brig. Gen. Keith H. Kerr and Brig. Gen. Virgil A. Richard, was interviewed for the Dec. 10, 2003 issue of the New York Times. All came out as gay men, each with long and distinguished military careers behind them, in order to take a stand against the policy. Steinman recently talked with Windy City Times about DADT.
Windy City Times: What was your reaction to the initial introduction of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy?
Alan M. Steinman: My initial reaction was that the opposition to allowing gays to serve openly was misplaced and based on a lack of understanding. I doubted that many GLB service members would initially come out, even if the ban were lifted so that, basically, there would be little difference from pre-ban to post-ban. ( A good analogy to what I'm referring to is what happened in Massachusetts the day after gay marriage was made legal; the sun came up, people went about their business, and the world didn't end—basically no difference from the day before ) . Gradually, I suspected, some GLB people would come out to those whom they trust, so that over time, it ultimately would be no big deal. That is more or less what is happening now, even with DADT, except that the threat of discharge or worse makes the process slower.
I found the vehemence expressed by those against GLB men and women to be surprising in its intensity. It demonstrated to me the near total misunderstanding about gays and lesbians serving in the military. Clearly, those opposing GLB members serving honestly based their antipathy on the tired media stereotypes of gays and lesbians, which was both disappointing and amusing at the same time. Yet it was very real.
Today's opposition continues to be based on those stereotypes; but when our opponents actually get to talk to a gay veteran, they find that gays and lesbians in the military are just as patriotic, talented, motivated and mission-oriented as their straight counterparts and are, in essence, indistinguishable from their heterosexual peers.
WCT: How has your thinking about it evolved? What instances made it clear to you over time that the policy was failing?
AMS: The major failure of DADT is the huge loss of talent, and the costs associated with that loss of talent, when GLB service members: 1 ) are involuntarily separated under DADT; 2 ) voluntarily resign their commissions or refuse to re-enlist because of the stresses involved with living a lie, with the fear of discharge if discovered, and with the emotional toll of having to violate their service's honor code in order to serve your country; and 3 ) do not join the military because of the disincentives of DADT.
The combination of personnel losses are far higher than the 600-750 people per year kicked out under DADT. A recent analysis of retention data by Dr. Gary Gates of the Williams Institute at UCLA Law School, based on an academic survey of GLBT veterans, found that 19.2 percent admitted to voluntarily leaving the military because of the difficulties of serving under DADT. This translates to 3,000-4,000 people per year!! Abolish DADT and most of these troops would remain.
The other major finding that has become apparent over the years since DADT was enacted was the absolute falsehood upon which the law was based. The law specifically claims that the mere knowledge of the presence of a homosexual man or woman would degrade unit morale, destroy unit cohesion and negatively impact combat readiness. Thus 'don't tell' became the watchword. Homosexuals could serve their country only if they were silent ( and celibate, according to the UCMJ ) .
The reality, however, is quite different. GLB members have always been in the military; and many of their peers have known about them as well. Over the years since DADT, more and more veterans have come out to their peers on active duty without causing a problem ( and sometimes their commands, too, has been aware of them ) .
WCT: What feedback did you get from military people, acquaintances or strangers [ after coming out ] ?
AMS: The feedback I received after coming out was entirely positive and supportive. My Coast Guard friends had no problems with it at all. I imagine, however, that there were likely some in the Coast Guard who were not so pleased to have the Coast Guard's name tied to the gay former Director of Health and Safety, but I personally did not receive any negative comments on my coming out. The immediate aftermath was a whirlwind of media interviews that created a very intense week to 10 days for me and my partner. But that all ended abruptly with the capture of Sadaam Hussein, thankfully terminating media interest in my little story.
Read the entire interview with Steinman in the June 20 online edition of Windy City Times at www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com .