“Don’t ask, don’t tell” focus of campus debate

A lieutenant and a major general faced off on the Penn State campus yesterday in a battle of words.

The military’s policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was up for debate last night in the Katz Auditorium as an event sponsored by OutLaw, Penn State Dickinson School of Law’s LGBTQA law student organization, and the Penn State Federalist Society.

The policy bans openly gay people from serving in the military, but it also prevents military officials from asking questions and furthering investigations if they believe a soldier to be homosexual.

Speakers included Lt. Sue Fulton, a spokeswoman from Knights Out, an organization that supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender soldiers, and Ret. Maj. Gen. Hugh Overholt, of the Federalist Society.

Overholt pointed out that Congress, not the military, passed the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

“People say why doesn’t the military change? We did not make this law,” he said.

But when arguing against changing the policy, Overholt cited national security risks.

“We need a cohesive fighting force. It is a fact that we’re at war. I have no interest in the army right now other than that we win that war,” he said.

He went on to voice opposition to anything that might distract the soldiers and hurt the recruitment of potential service members.

Fulton agreed the military needs cohesiveness but argued that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” compromises unit cohesion, which should be built on trust.

“The biggest problem with “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is that it hurts our military. You’re kicking out people you need in the time of war,” she said.

She went on to call the policy hypocritical.

“The core values of the military include integrity. The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy forces soldiers to choose between their honor and their duty,” she said.

To this, Overholt said service members should expect to be discharged for admitting they’re gay, because they know the rules when they join.

While Fulton believes that there is still a chance for the policy to be changed, Overholt does not. Not without the government’s help, at least.

“Until the Congress of the United States makes a decision that they are going to change the law, it’s just not going to happen,” he said.