European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 22, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Gays in the military shrouded lives continued from Page 9 by being a Soldier he would be a Man among men. Straight men. Quot i did not realize there would be so Many Gays in the army,11 de said. Quot my first Roommate was Gay instead of making me be. Not Gay the army helped me confirm  for some Gays life in the military is not so different from the civilian world. For others living a dual life in constant fear of discovery can Lead to abnormal stress and personal turmoil. Gays in the military especially those overseas said they have limited resources to help them work through those problems. Going to a chaplain or a military Counselor is not Worth the risk they said. They could be reported seventh medical come spokesman Bill Swisher said Quot the general Rule is we military psychiatrists and psychologists maintain confidentiality unless we receive a proper request from a proper authority to report particular information Quot the proper authority Swisher said could be a service member a commander a or the criminal investigation come in the Case of a Soldier. The proper request is a matter of filling out the proper paperwork Swisher said. Jonathan who is married to a lesbian in the army and lives in Germany experienced that trauma 13 years ago when he was in the army at fort Lewis Wash. In despair he said he took 15 sleeping pills and slashed his forearm 55 times. He already had Slit his wrists in an earlier suicide attempt. Quot i did no to know who to turn to Quot said Jonathan now an army civilian employee in Germany. Quot Back then i thought i was the Only one Gay in the world. Quot i was trying to Deal with myself in general what s right and what s wrong in gods eyes. I made up my mind that if i m Good to other people there s nothing wrong with me. It took years for me to love  the american psychiatric association and american psychological association stopped defining homosexuality As a mental illness during the 1970s, a View that Gays said has not reached enough people in the military Quot in be been Gay All my life Quot Steve said. Quot in a not sick in a not diseased. In a   Quot what would be abnormal for me would be to get married and live a  although the Days for the military ban could be numbered that does no to mean Gays and lesbians Are knocking Down the closet door. Even if the ban is lifted Many say they still wont disclose their sexual preference to  workers fearing physical retribution and Subtle discrimination. The problem is they said that Gay men do not fit within the military society. Lesbians however Are Mere Likely to be accepted. A the military is a Macho society and a lesbian goes along with that  Meg said. Quot on the other hand homosexual men Are thought of As Limp waisted and Prissy. Which they  army Gen. Colin l. Powell chairman of the joint chiefs of staff has said that Gays Are incompatible with serving in the military. It is not a problem of competence the incompatibility focuses on service members privacy in the Barracks heterosexuals and Gays sharing the same room and taking showers in communal facilities. But the Gays said they Arentt interested in straight people. Quot i never sat there and gawked Quot David said about taking showers. Quot straight men done to Appeal to me. Its not like in a going. To ravage him right there. Its not like that at  Tony the medical clerk in Germany agreed. Quot just because people Are Gay does not mean they can to control their sexual urges Quot Tony said. Quot in be never hit on my roommates. Most Gay people done to. The typical Gay wont hit on a straight person. He knows he wont get anywhere so Why waste time Quot and if his sexual orientation is detrimental to his units readiness and ability to fight Tony said he is baffled As to How. He said his recent performance evaluation which included the Best scores for exemplifying the Quot top military Standard Quot and Quot Standard of conduct on and off duty would mean nothing if he came under suspicion he would simply become a statistic one of the 1,500 Gays forced out of the military each year. Quot its the stupidest reason to kick someone out of the military Quot said Gregory the air Force Jock. Quot but this Guy who was drinking and driving taking the Chance of taking someone s life they re going to rehabilitate. What have i done in a Gay a so what Quot you be got people in the military beating children getting drunk and driving and doing drugs those Are crimes. Is it a crime being Gay Quot be discreet Meinhold tells other Gays by Ron Mckinney staff writer Petty officer 1st class Keith Meinhold who set a precedent this month when a Federal judge ordered the Gay Sailor reinstated in the Navy does no to think it s time for homosexuals to come out of the closet. To told the stars and stripes that despite the Success of his court Suil he believes homosexuals should keep their private lives to themselves except with personal friends. Quot i think they Gay service members should use their own judgment Quot in deciding whom to come out to Meinhold said Quot it s Good for people to come out when it s appropriate with people you re discussing personal aspects of your  Meinhold was an anti submarine warfare operator on the Navy a p-3 Orion aircraft with 12m> years in service when he became upset earlier this year Over the military a handling of what to called two Quot Witch Hunt investigations of Gay sailors on two ships. He decided to do something about it. Quot it was totally absolutely against everything in the military that i m fighting for Quot Meinhold said of investigations on the Blue Ridge the 7th Fleet s amphibious command ship and the aircraft Carrier Independence. Meinhold said his homosexuality was irrelevant to his performance on the Job. However he said it gave him a perspective he could not have had otherwise. Quot it made me understand some of the prejudices and struggles of other minorities much better than i would have realized As a straight White male Quot he said. Encouraged by the human rights Campaign fund a file Petty officer 1st class Keith Meinhold that he could make a difference in Gay rights Meinhold disclosed his homosexuality May 19 during an appearance on Abc world news tonight. Three months later he was out of the Navy with an honorable discharge. . District judge Terry j. Hatter or. Of san Francisco has since overturned the Navy decision ordering the sen ice to reinstate Meinhold until the Sailor s lawsuit challenging the military a ban is resolved. After almost three months out of uniform Meinhold went Back to work As a sonar Crew instructor at Nas Moffett Field near san Jose calif., on nov. 12. On Friday however the Justice department appealed to a Federal appeals court in Washington d c., to overturn the temporary order reinstating Meinhold to his old Navy Job. The government wants to shift the Case from the san Francisco based 9th . Circuit court of appeals to the . Court of appeals for the Federal circuit in Washington. A Justice department source requesting anonymity said the move was prompted in part by Hopes the government will get More favourable treatment in the appeals court in the nations capital. Meinhold said thursday that he has been treated Quot professionally Quot by naval  workers during his first week Back on the Job. The ruling has made Meinhold a leading spokesman for Gay rights a As Well As a role Model for Many Gay service members. Quot it feels real Good Quot Meinhold said of being a spokesman. Quot it s a lot of work but i feel i m doing something  although the court decision has reinstated Meinhold Gay rights advocates and Meinholdt a lawyer Don t expect it to open the door to other former service members who were involuntarily discharged for homosexuality. John Mcguire Meinholdt a lawyer said he does t foresee a Large number of homosexuals suing the military As Meinhold did in an Effort to get reinstated. Quot lawsuits Are a complicated and expensive Way to get what you want Quot Mcguire said. He also said the court decision itself would not have an effect beyond his clients Case except to allow Meinhold to demonstrate that homosexuals can serve with heterosexuals in the military without problems Mcguire said. He also said that Meinholdt a suit will not go to court for More than a year and by then the ban might already have been lifted. Karen Stupski spokeswoman for the human rights Campaign fund in new York agreed with Mcguire Quot it sets a Good precedent but it s not the final ruling Quot she said. Stupski a former Navy lieutenant said that in the aftermath of the Reinhoid ruling her Gay rights organization has not received Many Calls from former service members hoping to Challenge the military a ban. Page 10 a the stars and stripes sunday november 22,1992