Acknowledgments
Prologue
Clinton Reaffirms Campaign Promise To End Military’s Ban on Gays
By Kathryn Angel, Washington Herald
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, November 12, 1992—In his first major policy address to the nation since his election last week, President-elect Bill Clinton today reiterated his campaign promise to issue an executive order overturning Department of Defense Directive 1332.14, which bans homosexuals from the military. Directive 1332.14 states:
Homosexuality is incompatible with military service. The presence in the military environment of persons who engage in homosexual conduct or who, by their statements, demonstrate a propensity to engage in homosexual conduct, seriously impairs the accomplishment of the military mission. The presence of such members adversely affects the ability of the armed forces to maintain discipline, good order, and morale; to foster mutual trust and confidence among service members; to ensure the integrity of the system of rank and command; to facilitate assignment and worldwide deployment of service members who frequently must live and work in close conditions affording minimal privacy; to recruit and retain members of the armed forces; to maintain the public acceptability of military service; and to prevent breaches of security.
Governor Clinton delivered a Veterans Day speech today and afterwards told reporters he has no intention of backing away from his controversial pledge to allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military. He plans to issue the executive order as soon as he takes office January 20.
Already there are grumblings among the military’s leadership, Republicans and even some Democrats that the president-elect is “challenging the military’s most entrenched traditions,” although no one seems to know precisely what those traditions are. Ironically, when Winston Churchill was accused of threatening the British Navy’s traditions during World War I, he is widely reported to have said, “And what are those traditions, save rum, sodomy and the lash?”
1
“You goddamned lying son of a bitch!”
Don Hawkins showered Giles’s face with spittle but the hospital corpsman made no move to wipe it away. Don’s glare was pure rage. He waited. The stench of fear overpowered the Balboa Naval Hospital’s pungent odors of antiseptic, fresh paint and linoleum wax. “Spineless motherfucker! How many jams have Eddie and I helped you out of when you had nowhere else to go?”
Retreating, Giles sideswiped a roller cart and knocked over a stack of empty urine cups. “Look, y-y-you can’t—”
“I should drag you in that utility closet and beat your ass.”
“Easy, killer.” Eddie stepped in, putting his hand on the tall Marine’s shoulder. “Our boy Giles here, he’s just following his orders.”
A bead of sweat dripped from Giles’s nose, splattering his scrubs. “That’s r-r-right. I-I-I’m just following orders.”
“My ass.” Don lowered his voice, spying a high-ranking officer entering the opposite corridor. “You followin’ orders when you light up a joint? Huh, Sailor? How ’bout when you hand in somebody else’s piss and tell the Navy it’s your own?”
“It’s the new executive officer,” Giles hissed. “She’s triple-checking everyone’s work. We’re not talking about a slap on the wrist. If I get caught, it’s a court-martial and a dishonorable discharge.”
Eddie hooked Don’s coiled bicep. “Come on. We asked nice. If Giles doesn’t value our friendship, we’ll go to Plan B.”
Don shook him off. “He doesn’t get off that easy. He promised he’d take care of this. He owes us.”
“It’s a felony offense,” Giles whispered. “Yeah, you’ve helped me out—a lot—but not enough to get thrown in the brig at Fort Leavenworth. Doin’ hard labor.”
Eddie smiled at the trembling Sailor. “I been in the Navy fifteen years. Don’s got that much time in the Marine Corps. We understand how the military works, okay? You got a new hospital XO who wants to show everyone she’s the boss. It’ll all blow over in a week or so. Besides, Clinton just became the president two days ago! Soon, none of this will matter.”
“Why don’t you just wait on Clinton? Why do I gotta stick my neck out now?”
“Because, asshole,” Don said, “this is the military and deadlines matter. Eddie’s got one more week to submit his sample. It’s pretty fucking simple—even for a squid like you. Draw my blood, ‘accidentally’ label it with Eddie’s name and social, and turn it in.”
The high-ranking officer at the opposite end of the hall looked impatiently at her watch, calling out: “Petty Officer Giles, you were supposed to be at the ER ten minutes ago. I assume you’ll conclude your business here and report there immediately!”
“Yes, ma’am,” Giles replied. He turned back to Don and Eddie. “Friday. Payday. Everyone in the military will be out in San Diego. It’s gonna be a long fucking night.”
Giles started to walk way, but Don grabbed him by the arm one last time. “Hey, ‘Doc.’ Think you’re gonna show up on the battlefield, taking care of my Marines? Think again—or you’re gonna be the one needin’ a corpsman.”
2
“You seen enough?” Oliver Tolson asked his trainee. “I don’t want to waste my whole Saturday watching other people have fun on their day off.”
From his boss’s car, Agent Jay Gared viewed the homosexuals playing in Balboa Park. Perverts cared nothing for nature and proper gender roles. They wasted their lives chasing pleasure; Jay’s dad had called them “hedonists.” They failed to contribute to society and they corrupted young people, poisoning tomorrow’s citizens. Jay couldn’t show his true feelings too strongly, though, because Director Tolson had commented that he seemed obsessed with the military’s homosexual problem.
“Not yet, sir.” Jay watched a shirtless young man rub sunscreen on the back of a larger guy. The younger man joined a volleyball game across the field while two other men—one black, one white—sat at a picnic table. The black man had a dachshund, reminding Jay of his grandmother’s Porky, and the few happy memories of his teenage years. The volleyball player shouted, bringing Jay out of his reverie. The man was short, muscular and handsome, and didn’t display the telltale effeminate characteristics of a homosexual. “The most dangerous kind.”
“What’re you looking for, Jay?” Ollie asked. “What’re you trying to show me? Naval Investigative Service resources are scarce and the political climate is too volatile for us to chase gays out of the service. These ‘witch hunts’—a phrase I hate because it was legitimate work—used to pay off. Homos were an easy target. We caught one, they turned on each other like jackals and NIS achievement records looked good. That’s not the case anymore. They stick together. Times are different and NIS reports all the way up the chain to the friggin’ president. We know his story. He got elected because of the gays. I’m telling you, Gared, leave them alone! If they admit they’re queer, we got them, but if they don’t, proving it’s too much trouble.” Ollie paused and shook his head. “Besides, we have enough problems in San Diego with drugs and gang activity near—hell, even on—the bases. Keeps us busy twenty-four/seven.”
“With
