Petition to restore Navy ratings reaches goal, White House to officially respond

Were you a rifleman or an infantryman, Swanie? The Army will get their turn in the barrel. Why fix something that will result in an unnecessary cost that does nothing to preserve our country?

MCPO Roger Collins - I agree in full regards MCPO I just don't understand why they would do this to us.

SN (Join to see) - Pretty simple, everything and everyone are soon to be equal.

MCPO Roger Collins - All Soldiers are in the "same vein" as the USMC when it comes to being a rifleman, but not an infantryman. We're getting hosed down now as well. They're having to come up with plans on how to make the barracks more open to the LGBT, but would save us from this name change fate is that we already call each other by rank. Never by MOS. I could see where instead of infantryman, it's infantry, or motarman, just motar. Now in that case, we'd get the green weenie the same way you are. My issue with this isn't the loss of my rate or MOS title, it's something I cannot explain, it's not a hatred of the LGBT being I support them. Maybe it's because we're about to loose our individuality in our respective branches. I just don't know. It's good and bad I reckon, but it's going to happen, so the best I can do is support my branch, my CMF, and be positive. In the end, they're Soldiers just like me.

SGM Steve Wettstein - Nailed it!

SGM Steve Wettstein - SGM maybe you can help with this being I'm torn. I consider the military the ultimate social experiment. We've gone from only certain races can fight, to where any race can fight, and hold top jobs. No one ever thought Colin Powell would ever become the Chairman, and it was a glass ceiling he broke thanks to Reagan and Bush sr. Hell the Army had the WAC until the late 70's? An Army within an Army. Many of us who've served between the late 80's and now are finally looking at our own version of what those before us went through. Funny thing is, the change worked out great. I'm torn on this. We've overcome many things that would destroy a lesser military, but is this the one that breaks the camels back, are we thinking too far into it, or is this a needed change to the ranks and none of us likes change?

SSG Warren Swan - Thoughtful response. I'm not going to attempt to defend this position in one post, but I believe that racial integration and the current adjustments are simply two different animals.

SSgt (Join to see) - True, but it makes a solid comparison. We could use women in the WAC as a better one being they were truly relegated to MOS's that would definitely stay in the rear. Hell there were WAC pilots in WWII that had more time flying than many of their male counterparts on the front line. I'm not a fan of change. I get programmed into a routine, and I like it even when it sucks. I also don't like discrimination in any if it's forms, but this is now breaking my routine, and I know I'm not the only one like me in this. We accept and expect certain norms to stand no matter what, and now we're trying how to put people together when we know someone(s), going to make this integration beyond painful, and cost a career, rank, and possibly a life. 101st had that kid who died over his being gay. Unfortunately it's going to happen again before someone puts their boot on someone else's throat, or leaders grab some balls and really mean "Not In My Army".
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=96466

SSgt Terry P. I can only hope, Terry.

SN Greg Wright - On a lighter note--I am having a great day--How are you doing?

SSgt Terry P. - Gotta love Snoopy! Just another day in the Office, Terry, thanks.