I spent 20 years in the Air Force. During that time I knew many guy people, both male and female. Everyone usually knew who they were. They kept to themselves, or with their own kind, and we never had a major problem. Oh every once in a while a drunk would decide to kick one's butt, but he was usually shut down before it got out of hand. I am still around the military daily since my wife works on Ft Wainwright, and we live in a military bedroom community. One third of my neighbors in this subdivision are active duty.
Near the end of my career I was sent by the commander to straighten out the funds management office. In that office I had only one troop that I could depend on. A young Sargent that really knew his job, and was a hard worker. I and no one else ever suspected him of being gay. Someone at his last base turned him in, and our First Sargent decided to Court Marshal him. I personally felt the First Sargent was going a little overboard, the young man only had 60 days left in the AF, and no one else in the Squadron knew about it but him and I. I also needed this young NCO to help bring me up to speed on what the job in this office fully entailed. No way I could talk the 1st Sgt into just letting it ride till he was gone.
I sent the young NCO to talk to the Defense Attorney, he recommended taking an Article-15 non-judiciary punishment, in lieu of a Court Marshal. 1st Sgt was furious with me, but at least I was able to use him till he was sent home. The conditions of the Article-15 were 60 days restriction to base. Reduction of two grades, and forfeiture of pay and allowances.
On his last day this now young Airman came to me saying when he out processed through finance they gave him a big check for back pay. And at the personnel office his discharge said he was a Sargent. At both places he tried to explain they had made a mistake, but the people refused to listen, saying their records showed him as a Sargent, and that he was owed back pay. I told him thanks for all the help you have given me, there is the door, just quietly fade away. He did, right straight into an appointment to Oxford Law School.
I was in the personnel office a few days later checking on my own retirement. I stopped in at the separations office and in a friendly conversation I just asked about his case. I mentioned he was my best worker, and was just curious about what had happened his last days. The Senior Airman I was talking to turned and asked another Airman about the case. The second Airman picked up a bunch of folders from his basket, and kept repeating the name. Then from the bottom he pulled the folder, read the contents, then said "Oh well this guy is gone, the paperwork never caught up with him before he was discharged". "Too late now". Then he dropped the folder into the trash. As I was turning to leave the Senior Airman at the counter leaned forward and in a low voice said, "We take care of our own". I never would have imagined that those two guys were gay.
So like I said before they are already there, and in most cases are known. So it will not be a big deal for the people in the military. They will continue on just the same with very little disruption.
One more thing, when I was a young NCO myself I remember how the Senior NCOs talked about gays in the military. They were always making crude jokes and comments. But one thing they could not understand was why the civilian world had so much trouble with it, especially since they did not.
