Army Veteran Jarrod Chlapowski Speaks Out

Service in the U.S. military will soon come down to this: You hate and cannot serve with gays and lesbians, move to Iran or Uganda where bigotry reigns supreme.

Just off the phone with Army veteran Jarrod Chlapowski.  Chlapowski served in the Army from 2000-2005.

Chlapowski has an excellent service record in intelligence [Korean linguistics, cryptologic voice interceptor at the Defense Language Institute and Goodfellow Air Force Base, finishing second in his class, and so on] and wants to reenlist. Under the current policy of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Chlapowski cannot reenlist.

“I spoke out, no way I can get back in,” says Chlapowski.

Since 1994, 13,000 qualified gay and lesbian men and women have been removed from the service. They cannot reenlist.

According the Urban Institute, some 20,000 gay men and more than 16,000 lesbians are estimated to be on active duty now; if they are not silent, they face administrative discharge. And they cannot reenlist.

How many gay and lesbian Americans who want to serve their country refuse to enlistbecause of current discriminatory policy? No data, no estimates.

But as two wars continue, multiple tours take their predictable tolls, one might think that civil rights aside, the U.S. military could use all of the help of loyal Americans that it can get.

“A lot of gay and lesbian people with PTSD can’t get much help. Medical records are not private in the military. Relationships are important. You need to talk. You say the wrong thing and you’re out. The point of talking to a Doctor is being honest but gays can’t do that,” said Chlapowski.

As veterans discharged under the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, civil rights activists and increasing numbers of the brass push for a repeal of DADT, many hope to see a repeal of the policy banning discrimination. Most Americans want a repeal.

I asked a Marine veteran about serving with gays. He said, “It’s about protecting flanks. The last you think about is a guy’s dick.”

In the United States, a guy’s dick is the first thing the religious right thinks about, a political obsession of the GOP’s during the last decade.

But gays and lesbians serving openly is a policy likely to be enacted in some manner before President Obama leaves office.

The religious right won’t like it: I mean official U.S. policy directing U.S. Service personnel to hell or whatever colorful destinies await the damned.

But anyone who keeps his or her mind on the service, mission and objective won’t care. For those with a problem, Iran or Uganda will take you and Saudi Arabia would love you.