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The Power of 65,000

The Boston Globe is reporting that the United States military is launching a $15 billion campaign to boost recruiting in the Army. The expansive effort - which includes a home mortgage fund and a military prep school for high school dropouts - is designed to "help draw in a shrinking pool of eligible volunteers," the paper reports. The goal? "[S]igning up enough young men and women to add 65,000 soldiers to its ranks over the next three years." Which just happens to be the number of lesbian and gay troops who are estimated to now be serving in the armed forces. Those troops, of course, are officially silenced by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." There's no word in The Globe article about whether anyone in the Army recruiting command has also considered a much simpler - and more affordable - plan to recruit new troops: Welcoming LGBT Americans who want to serve, but have felt unwelcome because of the ban. According to statistician Gary Gates at The Williams Institute, an estimate 41,000 lesbian and gay Americans would enter military service, if "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" weren't in place. That's enough troops to staff 6 aircraft carriers. And all Congress has to do to get the ball rolling is repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." That's not to say, of course, that the Army shouldn't have good plans, with good benefits, to attract new recruits. They should. But they should also make those plans and benefits available to every American who wants to serve. By doing so, the Army can boost its recruitment by 41,000 (new LGBT recruits) + 65,000 (new recruits now being targeted) and make the other 65,000 gay Americans already on duty feel a little more welcome and appreciated for the stellar job that they do. Along the way, the Army can not only realize the power of 65,000, but also live up to the idea behind an Army of One, where every soldier counts, and every service member has something important to bring to the fight. - Steve Ralls

Labels: in the news, recruiting

02-13-08