Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, December 23, 1993 TAG: 9312230071
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
But under the new policy, commanders are advised not to go on "witch hunts" to ferret out suspected homosexuals.
The new regulations, which are to go into effect Feb. 5, are designed to give precise definitions of homosexual conduct and conditions that would prompt an investigation that could lead to a service member being removed from the military.
The new rules cap an agonizing year in which President Clinton, faced with strong opposition, abandoned his campaign pledge to lift the 50-year-old ban on homosexuals. He had to settle for a policy that differs only slightly from the old rules, given the strength of opposition from Congress and the Pentagon's top admirals and generals.
Outgoing Defense Secretary Les Aspin defended the compromise on the "enormously divisive and emotional" issue at a Pentagon briefing in which he said rank-and-file service members would be given more time to understand the policy before they are allowed to talk to reporters on base.
"We've got the right solution: `Don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue,' " he said.
"Homosexual conduct is defined as a homosexual act, a statement by the applicant that demonstrates a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts, or a homosexual marriage or attempted marriage," the new directive states.
Along with the regulations, the Pentagon also released a training guide for commanders in the field, describing several "scenarios" upon which to base their decisions.
For example, a commander may be advised not to open an investigation if a service member is seen leaving a known gay bar or is seen reading gay publications.
Once a commander has been notified that a service member was seen leaving a gay bar, the commander "should not begin an inquiry into this matter. Going to a gay bar is not a crime, nor does it, in itself, constitute a `nonverbal statement' by the service member that he is a homosexual."
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., an openly gay member of Congress, said the Pentagon was merely "dressing up a pig" in drawing up regulations on a flawed policy. But he said that "given that it's a lousy policy, the regulations are pretty good."
"The question now is whether they will be followed," Frank said.
Questioned about barring reporters from military bases to talk to personnel about the new rules, Aspin said the department wanted to give service members a chance to understand the regulations.
by CNB