Military Leaders Express 'Serious Concerns' Over Effort to Overturn Military Law on Homosexuality

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Feb 24, 2010, 06:50 ET

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released today by the Family Research Council:

This week, several senior military leaders came forward to oppose repealing the ban on homosexuals serving in the military until a one-year study can be completed. This opposition contrasts significantly with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen's expressed "personal belief" that the current policy should be overturned.

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Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway expressed his fear that the repeal effort will distract from the military's mission of protecting the nation. He explained, "My concern would be that somehow that central purpose or focus were to become secondary to the discussion."

Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey agreed, saying, "I do have serious concerns about the impact of a repeal of the law on a force that is fully engaged in two wars." He added, "We just don't know the impacts on readiness and military effectiveness."

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz also argued that now is not the time to repeal. "This is not the time to perturb the force that is, at the moment, stretched by demands in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere without careful deliberation," he said.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins had this to say about these comments:

"Shortly after the State of the Union Address, President Obama sent Defense Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen to Capitol Hill to argue for a repeal of the military's ban on homosexuals. Clearly, this hearing was politically timed in order to suppress opposition within the military to the President's proposed new policy. However, despite the President's best efforts, the military isn't lining up to support this social experiment. It's significant to see military leaders from the Army, Air Force, and Marines express 'serious concerns' over repealing the policy.

"As a Marine veteran, I fully agree with Army Chief of Staff General George Casey that there are many serious concerns related to overturning this policy. Repealing this policy will only add sexual tension to the many challenges that our troops face every day. This is hardly a way to improve military readiness and boost morale among our troops, who are currently fighting two wars.

"Our Armed Forces exist for one fundamental reason: to defend America by fighting and winning wars. Using the military as a tool to further a homosexual agenda does not support the military's central purpose."

SOURCE Family Research Council