It's Okay To Be Gay In The Military... For Now

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Military recruiters told they can accept openly gay applicants

Posted: October 19th, 2010 -- 05:39 AM ET

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Adam Levine
CNN


Washington (CNN) - The Pentagon has advised recruiting commands that they can accept openly gay and lesbian recruit candidates, given the recent federal court decision that bars the military from expelling openly gay service members, according to a Pentagon spokeswoman.

The guidance from the Personnel and Readiness office was sent to recruiting commands on Friday, according to spokeswoman Cynthia Smith.

The recruiters were told that if a candidate admits he or she is openly gay, and qualify under normal recruiting guidelines, their application can be processed. Recruiters are not allowed to ask candidates if they are gay as part of the application process.

The notice also reminded recruiters that they have to "manage expectations" of applicants by informing them that a reversal of the court decision might occur, whereby the "don't ask, don't tell" policy could be reinstated, Smith said.

Federal Judge Virginia Phillips in California is expected to decide Tuesday whether she will stay her injunction against "don't ask, don't tell" at the request of the government, which is appealing her ruling.

Groups representing gays and lesbians have warned against coming out to the military because the policy is still being appealed in courts.

One group, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, sent a statement out Tuesday reiterating the concern.

"During this interim period of uncertainty, service members must not come out and recruits should use caution if choosing to sign up," said SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis in the statement. "The bottom line: if you come out now, it can be used against you in the future by the Pentagon."

Judge Phillips' ruling on "don't ask, don't tell" stemmed from a lawsuit by Log Cabin Republicans, a gay rights group, challenging the policy.

Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, president of Log Cabin Republicans' San Diego, California, office, said he was was headed Tuesday afternoon to re-enlist.

"Once a Marine, always a Marine," said Rodriguez-Kennedy, a lance corporal who was honorably discharged in February 2008.

He served three years of a four-year term. "It's a feeling of not having completed a full tour," he said.

Rodriguez-Kennedy, 23, served as a provisional military police officer in Iraq in 2007. He said he was open to new responsibilities.

"I love the Marine Corps," he told CNN.

Former Army Lt. Daniel Choi, an Iraq war combat veteran who challenged "don't ask, don't tell" and was discharged, tried to rejoin the military Tuesday afternoon.

"In the recruiting station. Apparently I'm too old for the Marines!" he said in a tweet. "Just filled out the Army application."

Choi indicated he will complete his paperwork Wednesday.

CNN called several recruiting stations in New York and Chicago. They referred inquiries to the Pentagon.

CNN's Larry Shaughnessy, Vivienne Foley and Phil Gast contributed to this report