General Friedrich Wilhelm Augustus von Steuben - Why we must repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell

After reading a news article on MSN today about the large majority of the House of Representatives who voted today, for the second time, to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT), I felt the need to toss my two cents into the discussion. With predictability, following the article, I read comment after comment from the usual crowd of misguided mud slingers whose hateful lies and foul rhetoric frequently follows any discussion related to the right of Gay and Lesbian citizens to be treated like human beings, the same way every citizen wishes to be treated.

It seems terribly sad and ironic that any person who lives in the United States, and especially anyone connected to our military, would question for a minute the invaluable service of Gay or Lesbian people in our armed forces. As I recall from my American history, it was a former Prussian officer, who fell out of favor in his country due to rumors that he was homosexual, who came to the aide of the troops under the command of General George Washington at a moment in our history when it looked like we might lose the war to England.

The Continental army was ill trained and in disarray until General Friedrich Wilhelm Augustus von Steuben, a Gay man, volunteered to fight on the side of the American forces. He didn't merely serve with the Continental Army, but he actually transformed it into a viable fighting force. He trained our soldiers in marching, marksmanship and battle tactics. He picked 100 men, trained them and sent them to train the others. He improved the sanitary conditions of the military camps, had the men set up their tents in rows so the camp began to have a military structured appearance.

By April of 1778 the Continental Army became a truly organized and trained military force. General von Steuben wrote the manual, "Regulations For The Order And Discipline Of The Troops", which was used by our military for a good many years after we won our independence. The book included detailed instructions for the discipline and conduct of officers and soldiers, as well as organization of units, and all related issues.

What seemed to be a certain defeat, when American troops encountered the British Army near Monmouth Courthouse (NJ), turned into a patriotic victory and a turning point in the war. This battle was followed by his victories in Stony Point, Yorktown and other places. In 1784, von Steuben was honorably discharged and granted American citizenship.

To repeat my point, it seems ironic that we are discussing whether or not Gay and Lesbian soldiers have the right stuff to serve openly in the American military. Had it not been for a Gay man who volunteered for service in our armed forces, there might be a Union Jack flying over our capitol today.

For anyone who doubts the accuracy of what I have written here, please, by all means, study your American history just a little more deeply. Unlike some who oppose the repeal of DADT, I didn't have to twist or invent untrue facts to support a particular point of view. Some powerful churches, fraternal organizations and hate groups will promote their point of view by distorting the truth, or re-writing history or by discrediting the reputation of their opponents, but I have no reason to stoop to such tactics. It is said that the victors write or perhaps re-write their own history and quite often, when they do, they leave out some important facts.

General Washington knew about General von Steuben's reputation and his problems at home and yet he welcomed him into the service of the Continental Army. Thank God that there was no DADT back then.

I, for one, believe that it is insulting to the memory of a real patriot and hero of the American Revolution to have ever enacted DADT. I wonder if there are any in Congress who have the courage and patriotic spirit to overturn this terrible injustice to equality under the law. DADT is an insult to the humanity and professionalism of all our service men and women. We are probably one of the last developed nations on the planet whose military punishes its own soldiers solely on the basis of being honest about who they are. We'd prefer that they be liars, rather than be open and honest people. It amazes me that some among us who proclaim to be Christians don't see anything wrong with this?