FollowUp 1: Sen. Santorum on DADT

My prediction (again):  The repeal of DADT and subsequent adjustments of military policy will end up strengthening the United States military.  When soldiers do not need to hide who they are, they will be more confident fighters.  When soldiers are not making assumptions about their fellow soldiers, they will be more confident fighters.  The necessary social bonding of our soldiers and sailors will enhance performance in the long run.

Mr. Santorum is among many with dire predictions, lower recruitment and loss of unit cohesion being common fears.  But, the Stars and Stripes today offers the other side of this story, not as speculation but for real.

At an eastern Afghanistan base, Army Pfc. Ted Bonham’s revelation elicited little more than shrugs from his fellow civil affairs soldiers.

Freeing himself of the secret was thrilling, and he was relieved to find that they stood by him.

Having served in the Navy, it does not surprise me that those who work together in the field are going to either not care or are going to be relieved that it is now in the open and no longer a secret.  Our soldiers and sailors are made of tougher stuff than to be upset with such details.
  
Bonham, a reservist Tennessee, didn’t go shouting “from the mountains of Afghanistan that I’m gay” but he made a choice not to hide anymore.

Now PFC Bonham is likely to be a better soldier and his unit will benefit.  We all will.

9 October 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings Post