DON'T TELL!

Piece Description

DON'T TELL! -  I     The further away we got from 9/11 the more controversial the Iraq and Afghanistan wars became.  Suddenly all 4 branches of the U.S. military were experiencing serious recruitment problems.  Among other solutions tried, from 2003 to 2007 the military accepted more than 43,000 persons convicted of serious felonies such as assault and more than 58,000 illegal drug users under a "moral waivers" program.   At the same time since the passage of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, at least 13,000 servicemen and women have been jettisoned by the Pentagon treating the mere admission of homosexuality as tantamount to actual conduct.  The U.S. Army is now discharging West Point grad, Iraq veteran and Arabic translator, 1^st Lieutenant Dan Choi.   Today we talk with Lt. Dan Choi.

 
DON'T TELL! - II   Also facing discharge from the U.S. military for the admission of being gay is 18 year Airman, Lieutenant Colonel Victor Fehrenbach, recipient of 9 air medals for distinguished service.  So to borrow a well-known line from the film, A Few Good Men, 'who do we want on that wall'.  On September 10^th 2001, the National Security Agency intercepted a message in Arabic that was not deciphered until September 12^th due to the dearth of translators in the intelligence services.  The message actually read, "tomorrow is zero hour".  Lt. Dan Choi would prefer to continue his military career and to continue to apply his translation skills.  The U.S. military is claiming his value as a translator is negated by his admission that he is gay.   We return to our discussion with Dan Choi.