U.S. Military
* Re “Despite Reforms, ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Continues to Be Anti-Gay,” Commentary, Aug. 22: Janet Halley should take a wider view at how well America’s military implements policies in general. In a nutshell, the military probably does it no better or worse than America’s civilian organizations. Policy may be a static concept for some but in today’s military it’s highly dependent upon current conditions, physical surroundings and quality of leadership.
Halley assumes that the difficulty gays face in the military is due to “outright anti-gay” prejudice. Having visited a number of military installations recently, I learned that base commanders face a difficult time enforcing even their zero-tolerance drug policy. Does that make them anti-drug enforcement?
The American military is working in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment. Officers and cadre are required to delegate to subordinates, who demand more independence and responsibility. This flexibility of command is staggering for many in our military.
MARTIN HARDSTARK
Irvine
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