Letter from Baghdad: "I am good enough to serve in war, but not at peace?"

[FourScore]

Letter from Baghdad: "I am good enough to serve in war, but not at peace?"
by Clarknt67
Fri May 14, 2010 at 09:56:27 AM PDT

SNIP

May 14, 2010

President Barack H. Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

I am writing to you from a kitchen in the state of Washington. The love of my life is in the other room. It has been eight months since I saw him last and I cherish every moment we spend together. Next week, my mid-tour leave will be over and I will return to Iraq and finish my second deployment. I don’t know when I’ll see my partner again.

When serving in a war zone, you learn quite a bit about yourself and what’s important to you. I’ve had the chance to work on a close and personal level with the people of Iraq, and in doing so, I have realized more than ever that the freedoms we enjoy as Americans should not be taken for granted – we must protect them at all costs. These freedoms are essential to the very foundation of our society. Yet so many men and women who fight for these freedoms aren’t allotted their own. Our freedom to love and be loved by whomever we choose. The freedom to live of a life of truth and dignity.

Recently I was informed that the military was investigating me for violating the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law. Another service member had apparently “outed” me. At first I felt free: I didn’t have to lie anymore. But after that initial sense of relief, I’m left knowing just how little the Pentagon and the United States government think of me.

Mr. President, my unit is extremely undermanned. We’re working around the clock in Baghdad. My commander informed me that the Army cannot afford to lose me. I was told that they would prepare my discharge paperwork, “stick it in a Manila envelope, and keep it in a desk -- for now.”

One moment they wanted to throw me out and the next they are hiding evidence to keep me in.

My comrades now know that I am gay, and they do not treat me any differently. Work runs as smoothly as ever, and frankly the only difference I see -- besides my pending job loss -- is that I am free of the burden of having to constantly watch my words and ensure my lies are believable.

Having this out in the open makes things a bit less stressful. But it’s also clear the Army is only keeping me around until they are done with me. After I have served my two deployments -- and only a year shy of separating from the military honorably -- I suspect they will kick me to the street.

It’s bad enough that there is a law that denies tens of thousands of service members from serving with integrity, but it’s even worse when such a law is carried out with such inconsistency, without any warning of when it might come down.

If my suspicions are true, my discharge will move forward after my deployment. I am good enough to serve in war, but not at peace? I will never be at peace until this law is repealed – and neither will my partner. In fact, he won’t even be informed if I am killed in action. That might be the hardest part for us both.

Mr. President, when you took office I remember watching your inauguration knowing that history was being made. I remember feeling like this weight was being lifted off of my shoulders. I truly believed in you, and I still do.

But, Mr. President, please keep your promise to me.

Please do everything in your power to help Congress repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” this year. Our government called upon us to fight for our country. So many of us answered the call; we did not delay. We were sent world’s away to defend your freedoms. Mr. President, won’t you fight for mine?

With deep respect,

A soldier returning to Baghdad

(The writer is currently serving and unable to identify himself publicly.)

MORE AT:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/5/14/866405/-Letter-from-Baghdad:-I-am-good-enough-to-serve-in-war,-but-not-at-peace

[yellerpup]

1. When a person's life is on the line

we must do everything in our power to help them maintain their mental focus so they can survive. Very moving letter. K&R

[Zenlitened]

2. Mr. President, please suspend all DADT investigations immediately. - n/t

[Rhythm]

3. EVERYONE should read these letters... then DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM!

Link to all of these letters, at SLDN: http://www.sldn.org/blog/c/letters

Read these stories, then call/write your representatives and senators in Washington.
Repealing DADT--and insuring full equality for our GLBT servicemembers--is a matter of national security!

[EFerrari]

7. What is needed from the GLBT community and their allies is a daily contact campaign.

We need to build some pressure because that works better than potshots.

[greencharlie]

4. Obama, Dems... grow some balls and overturn DADT.

hell... it'd be less controversial and easier than HCR or immigration.

[greencharlie]

5. so disgusting...

reminds me of the soccer moms in 2008 with their Hope/Change bumper stickers AND a prop H8 sticker on the same car...

[Rhythm]

13. I'd have been hard-pressed not to call random strangers on their bullshit

...had i seen something that idiotic on a car in traffic or a parking lot.

:nuke: <-- that's me, with my head exploding.

[DevonRex]

6. That's an excellent letter. K&R nt

[Luminous Animal]

8. Please click on the DKos link. The diary contains a lot of info...

including a call to action.

[xchrom]

9. Recommend

[Luminous Animal]

10. Kick.

[Luminous Animal]

11. Kck again.

[johnlucas]

12. This is such a dead issue

Quit discriminating against homosexuals in the military.
It's a non-issue. It's been done.
Clinton was a wimp for not nipping this in the bud in the 90's.

This should not be up for discussion. End this foolishness.
When your ass is under fire you're not gonna give a damn if the man in the trench beside you is a Adam Lambert fan.
It never was important & you already have closeted gays now. If that doesn't affect anything, neither will out & proud gays.
The same nonsense was parroted when the Whites were scared of Blacks in the military & now nobody cares.

This should have been one of Obama's first acts in 2009. Taking this issue off the discussion table.
John Lucas

[Jeffersons Ghost]

14. K&R great point N/T

[LiberalAndProud]

15. Too late to recommend.

That's what I get for missing a day at DU.
:kick:

[blucaller]

16. Thanks for giving the author voice, Clark

great work, per usual

[KonaKane]

17. I wish my president would just get off the pot here and nix DADT.

Please stop pussyfooting with this, and delaying with all these mealy mouthed "well its under study right now so cool your jets" rebukes.

Mr. President, the time is now. Get rid of it.