Bay Windows: New England's Largest Gay &
Lesbian Newspaper
631 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02118
617-266-6670
Current Issue: August 1, 2003
http://www.baywindows.com
http://www.baywindows.com/news/449188.html
Dear Editor:
As regards my printed comments regarding U.S. Army Lt. Col. Steve Loomis, in the
Bay Windows article of July 17, 2003 titled "Local Vets Daring to Ask," please
know that I was not aware at the time of my phone interview with staff reporter
Ethan Jacobs that Lt. Col. Steve Loomis had filed suit with the U.S. Court of
Federal Claims.
Thus, in the absence of this information, when I referred to the fact that
"federal suits 'won't really go anywhere,'" I was not making reference to Lt.
Col. Steve Loomis' suit.
This said, I wish Lt. Col. Steve Loomis the best outcome in his suit against the
military; but still maintain that continued losses in the federal courts give
additional ammunition for setting precedents in favor of the "Don't Ask, Don't
Tell" policy - should it ever reach the US Supreme Court.
And lastly, as the bisexual vice-president of the New England GLBT Veterans, I
wish to bring your attention the official 1982 directive by the Department of
Defense regarding bisexuals in the military, which states:
"Bisexual means a person who engages in, desires to engage in, or intends to
engage in homosexual AND heterosexual acts."
"A member [of the Armed Forces] shall be separated if the member has stated that
he or she is a homosexual or bisexual - unless there is a further finding that
the member is not a homosexual or bisexual."
Thus, in future articles, I would appreciate if Bay Windows would rectify this
glaring omission by adding "bisexual" - along with gay and lesbian - when
writing about the inhumane "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.
Believe me, I know about bisexuals being discharged from the US Military, as in
1966, while serving in the US Army, I was court-martialed and imprisoned for
four months by the military due to my admitted bisexuality - but discharged
as a homosexual!
Should your readers wish any information on our organization and advocacy on
behalf of our country's GLBT Veterans, please contact us on our website at:
http://www.newengland-glbt-vets.com/
Sincerely and Bisexually yours,
Cliff Arnesen
Vice-President
Former Board Member: National Bisexual Advisory Board