10 years after ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ cadets see progress

By DAVE COLLINS
Associated Press

NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) — Military academy students say that 10 years after the end of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” there is wide acceptance of gays, lesbians and bisexuals, but that work remains. There are occasional homophobic or ignorant comments, including online postings, which can be hurtful. Transgender students still face much resistance. In its history, the military dismissed more than 100,000 service members due to their sexual or gender identities. That included 14,000 during the “don’t ask, don’t tell” era. Active military personnel and veterans who served then are remembering a darker time when they feared having their sexual and gender identities revealed.