Op-Ed
ROTC Officers Address ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’
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Since Sun Columnist Gabriel Arana called us out by name, we want to take the time to give a thoughtful and articulate response to his Feb. 14 opinion article on Cornell, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and ROTC.
First, let’s clarify a common misconception. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is not the military’s brainchild, but a federal law. The U.S. Congress established the policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” under Title 10 of the U.S. Code (Title 10, Sub. A, Ch. 37) in 1993 during the first Clinton Administration. These are laws that cannot be changed by the military internally, but only externally by citizens who petition their senators and congressmen.
Cornell may not lose state funding but it could lose millions of dollars that it receives federally through programs such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), student loans and other federal assistance. In fact, one university concluded that an intentional violation of the Solomon Amendment would cost them 20 percent of their annual operating budget.
As difficult as it is, the Cornell Army ROTC program operates with respect to both federal law and Cornell’s policies. Cornell’s discrimination policy (updated Jan. 25 2008), “assists the university to comply with federal, state and local legal mandates in relation to such misconduct.” As of now, the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy is a matter of federal law. We are obligated to adhere to it and we are prohibited to commission a person who openly violates this law.
However, Cornell Army ROTC does not discriminate against anyone taking our classes. We allow open enrollment in any of our courses, in accordance with the Cornell policy of equal education and cultural inclusiveness. As a matter of fact we currently have over 60 students enrolled in our courses who are not “cadets” and who are not seeking a commission post graduation but want to take courses on the subject of leadership. Our courses produce leaders. Leadership applies not only to the military but also to hotel administration, industrial and labor relations, athletic programs and just about any other endeavor a Cornell student could want to pursue. We strive to not turn someone away that wants to improve themselves through participating in the programs we instruct.
Second, we are not opposed to engaging in intellectual discussion about this topic. In fact, some of us specifically speak about this to our students. Draw a comparison to the racially segregated Army up until 1948. Imagine the challenges faced by Army leaders at all levels when President Truman signed an executive order to desegregate the Army. Not only were there personnel, training and logistical issues to contend with, but the real core of the problems came from integrating units, dispelling stereotypes, protecting individuals and building cohesive fighting units. The challenge was enormous. Now, 60 years later, we look back on the policy of a “white” Army and a “colored” Army and shake our heads.
We are not opposed to reaching across the table to the LGBT community. The stumbling block is that once we all sit down and we acknowledge the issues, clarify the laws, and seek to find common ground there is an expectation of, “OK, ROTC, do something about this!” If there is something else we can do to foster discussion and good relations we are open to such possibilities.
We imagine that one day — maybe by an executive order (one that President Clinton could not and would not sign) — the law that became “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will be changed and homosexuals will gain the right to serve openly. When that day comes we hope that some of our former students will be at all levels of the military hierarchy. Since they will have been exposed to the benefits of a Cornell education and the Cornell ROTC program they will be uniquely equipped to facilitate this change. Who better to face the challenges of integrating units, dispelling stereotypes, protecting individuals and building cohesive fighting units than a Cornell ROTC officer? When that time comes we will initiate national programs to educate and protect soldiers. When that happens we will reach out to LGBT/CUGALA for more substantive discussion on campus.
If you are asking us to come out and say that the law is wrong, then our response to you is that as Army officers we follow the laws that are given to us. As citizens, we look to see where our congressman stands on the issue and make it a consideration on election day.
We do not think that if the law changed the gap between academia and the military would shrink. Therein lies a serious problem for our nation as a whole. Its hard to believe that there are people out there who seriously think that we do not need a national defense or a standing military. The country sees and supports the necessity for the military — as stated in the Constitution. The question we need to ask is, “who do we want in the leadership positions within the military?” Don’t we want the best and the brightest? Aren’t the moral, logical, ethical and military decisions that Army officers make every day those that we’d want a Cornellian to make? Shouldn’t Yale and Harvard and Columbia want the same — competent, intelligent leaders?
Finally, Arana mentioned Lieutenant Colonel Page, Major Miller and Major Brown by name and told us to “come to the table.” Yet he wrote his article without ever calling this office and asking our input. We have never turned away a member of the press, nor denied an interview. In the future, please feel free to contact us before committing our names to print. You are welcome to come and take a course with us and make an informed decision.
In conclusion, your article highlights the challenges we face in ROTC. We abide by laws while at the same time strive to work within the Cornell system. We are not opposed to discussion. We welcome the education that Cornell provides and believe that it leaves an indelible mark on those men and women who pursue a military commission. We trust that this education plays a critical role in the decisions they make as military leaders. We need more people like these extraordinary scholars, athletes and leaders every day.
Lt. Col. Brian Page, professor of military science, Maj. Bryan Miller, executive officer and Maj. Richard Brown, leadership development officer are U.S. Army officers and administer Cornell Army ROTC. They can be contacted at armyrotc@cornell.edu Guest Room appears periodically.
When did our nation's laws
When did our nation's laws become divine law - where we judge our rightness by whether or not we follow them.
The officers say "we follow the laws that are given to us." One might expect this from a member of the US Military. However, this is no an excuse for behavior. Don't Ask Don't Tell is an unjust policy, and as Dr. Martin Luther King has said, "It is your moral duty and obligation to disobey an unjust law!"
Easy for you to say
Anonymous, it's really easy for you to sit back and take this stance. As a Cornell grad and Cornell ROTC grad / Army officer, I am sympathetic to your opinion that there is injustice in the "Don't ask don't tell” policy. I hope you are sympathetic to my colleagues who would rather work within the system to change a policy rather than being court-martialed (possible equivalent of a felony) and possibly sent to the US Disciplinary Barracks at FT Leavenworth for disobeying the law. In fact, I have had gay soldiers under my command and did nothing about it. I would ask that you reserve judgment on the Officers and Soldiers "in the trenches" are dealing with on a daily basis, when the real action needs to take place in the halls of Congress.