Gays in the Military? Damage to Morale? Hmmmmmm....

Supporters of the "don't ask don't tell" policy often point to unit cohesion and morale as a sufficient reason to continue the ban against gays and lesbians serving openly in the military.  Steve Chapman, an editorial writer for the Chicago Tribune, thinks the cohesion and morale argument is at best a red herring.  Countries that have repealed their bans do not seem to be suffering from a great deal of discipline problems or a lack of unit cohesion, but then again they often do not face the same stresses placed on US Forces.  I agree with Admiral Mike Mullen, it's time to end the ban, but we need to go slow and smart to make the integration work.  Mind you, I do not think homosexuality is moral or correct (I place homosexuality on the same level as alcoholism), nor do I support gay marriage.  I do think gays and lesbians can serve, with honor, without impacting unit effectiveness, as long as privacy for both the straight and gay service members is respected.