Things have become so desperate for the Marine Corp that they are now
forced to call up members of the inactive reserve to bear the burdens
of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 2,500 Marines will be
involuntarily recalled to active duty under this new order from the
President. While this is going on there are 953 other Marines who
would gladly volunteer to go back to active duty. However, these
Marines are persona non gratis.

Thanks to the disastrous Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy the Marine Corp
alone has discharged 953 LGBT men and women under the policy. A move
that has certainly led to the recruiting crunch the Corp and other
services are feeling. The sad part is the 953 Marines who were
discharged make up only a fraction of the DADT casualties. Many more
choose not to reenlist rather then having to continue to live a lie
under the policy. Moreover, in our increasingly tolerant country, how
many young Americans simply write off the thought of military service
due to the policy which bars either them or their friends from
serving? The extent of the negative impact on recruitment and
retention the DADT policy has caused will quite possibly never be
known. But one thing is for certain. Our nation is put in grave danger
when we turn down qualified men and women based solely on their
status.