European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 6, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                May stars and stripes Mideast coition Page 3 dont dont Tell sailors say Kitty Hawks homophobic culture forced them to out themselves by Allison Batdorff stars and stripes Yokosuka naval Japan the writing was on the Wall for the two Navy sailors the Bath Rooni Washington loves Wright was what seamen Burnell Wright and shaniqua Washington saw upon entering a bathroom aboard the uss Kitty but other messages scrawled on the Wall like Dyke bitches Gonna get stitches disturbed them they they read them loud and Washington the sailors both 20 years both married to men in the states but bisexual we rent Welcome on the aircraft Carrier where they lived and she five months Wright and Washington quit the they recently re turned to the United states for military saying the carriers homophobic climate stymied their we were being singled Wright we were forced to quit be cause what we were going through on the because quitting the Mil itary int allowed until the service commitment is Ful the women used the dont dont Tell policy to administratively sep Arate from the the policy dictates that Homo sexuality detracts from unit morale and but allows homosexuals to serve in the military so Long As they keep their sexual orientation secret in word and it Calls for mandatory removal of those who outwardly de Clare their homosexuality or engage m or attempt homosexual or at tempt to marry 4 someone of the same Washington was 18 months into her fou year enlist Wright served 30 months of her five year Phy on her they began to worry that too Many people they they didst get in trouble for homosexual conduct and none of their Navy leaders asked them about but they were Liberty Bud Dies in every foreign they earned their surface warfare pins and took col lege the two had been labelled troublemakers because of other behaviour they both Wright and washing ton had several counselling chits in their service records and had recently been placed on restricted Liberty for disrespecting an officer in an incident the spotlight started following us everywhere we Washington and As scrutiny did their fear of homophobic they they said they had seen sol Diers girl a few months a movie about the 1999 killing of army Barry Winchell in fort it exemplified the worst Case scenario of what could happen in a homophobic they Winchell was dating a preoperative transsexual when he was beaten to death with a baseball Bat by two members of his a recent comment by joint chiefs of staff Peter Pace that Homo sexuality is immoral sums up the military Washington youre treated As if there is something wrong with Washington Marine Stuart a spokes Man for the told stars and stripes on wednesday harassment of any Type and for any including sexual Orienta is unacceptable and will not be see singled on Page 4 discharged Gay Sailor called Back to duty their Story they reported the Bath room incident and the Pafiti was washed away  but Cirin rits were never women then Washington found a did lesbian by Joseph Giordono stars and stripes on his wedding night in july the Petty officer 3rd class Jason Knight finally accepted a truth he had fought against for years he was almost he moved to get his marriage an he apologized to the woman hed and when it came time to explain his changing circumstances to the he left nothing under the military dont dont Tell he was quickly discharged from the but now whether through a clerical oversight or what some claim is an unwritten change in policy to keep More Gay service members in the ranks at a time of War Jason Knight is Back on Active since promoted to Petty officer second Knight is Fin Ishing a scheduled oneyear tour in Kuwait with naval Cus Toms battalion already kicked out of the Navy he sees no need to hide his sexual i thought it was a joke at he remembering the Day he received his recall it was the ultimate kick in the but then i there int much they can do to me they Haven done the first it was comments by Marine Peter the chairman of the joint chiefs of that spurred Knight to come out publicly a second in defending the military Pace called homosexual acts immoral and contrary to military though i respect Pace As a it made me so Knight i spent four years in the buried fallen servicemen Bers As part of the ceremonial served As a hebrew linguist in Navy and received awards for exem Plary he wrote in a letter to be cause i was the Navy discharged me and recouped my 13k Signon nine months the Navy recalled me to Active did i accept despite everything that happened of course i and i would do it because i love the Navy and i love my and despite paces my shipmates support see duty on Page 5 is uss Kitty out Tow military than few ugh Thor