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Conduct Unbecoming “I think there's increasing recognition within the Armed Forces that this is a counterproductive strategy. We're spending large sums of money to kick highly qualified gays or lesbians out of our military.” - Barack Obama, 2008 Communicating her feelings to Fran through channels patrolled by military personnel was a different kind of challenge. Officials monitored satellite phones, and anything written down, whether in emails, letters, or Instant Messenger chat boxes, was potential evidence. When Jules and Fran talked online, a rarity in itself, they couldn’t say “I love you.” Instead, they replaced it with “take care,” even when Jules was talking to Fran online in her office. One day, Jules left suddenly in the middle of one of their conversations, saying she needed to check on something. A few hours later, reports came out of Iraq that it had been the “bloodiest day” for female United States Marines in Iraq. A suicide bomber crashed into a checkpoint, killing six female marines and wounding thirteen other individuals. All personal communication into and out of Fallujah stopped for three days. Fran had no way to get in contact with Jules to see if she was safe, injured, or even alive. In fact, given the sparse contact that Jules and Fran had, Fran rarely had a way to keep updated on her partner. She routinely scoured press releases to get a sense of the situation in Iraq, and checked the Department of Defense website to see if Jules’s name showed up on a list of deceased soldiers. Fran would never be directly contacted by the military in the case of an emergency. Out of fear for her job, Jules could not list Fran as her next of kin, or as an emergency contact at all. Instead, Jules concocted a system with the people she loved most. Her older brother, Thomas, was listed as the next of kin. In the event that something happened, Thomas would quickly inform his two other brothers and Francesca of the news. They made an oral contract that if Jules died, the four of them would divide her possessions. Jules’ inability to recognize Francesca as her partner caused other legal difficulties. The two could not take advantage of the free health care, housing stipends, low-cost life insurance, and legal protection that is afforded to straight couples. While the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act protects military wives and husbands from both bank foreclosure and evictions from their homes when spouses are overseas, Fran could never receive this protection. Though the military offers courses on how to help a soldier transition back into civilian life, Francesca could not attend. She most likely would have been unwelcome at Military Spouse Appreciation Day, a celebration organized by the Department of Defense and the White House. Since she was public affairs officer, Jules was also responsible for putting out a monthly newsletter that contained the location and activity of the soldiers in her unit. It was meant to comfort the spouses of soldiers, particularly since it was a direct message from the unit. Fran never received one. On the Bloodiest Day, Fran wanted to escape the media reports coming out of Iraq, useless reports that told her nothing about whether Jules was alive or dead. She spent the next forty-eight hours crying and running six-mile loops through Central Park, until Jules’ brother Paul finally called with the news that Jules was fine. “Would we risk doing away with this system that works, where American families sit around the dinner table and they make a decision that their young man or young woman is going to go into this military because they share the values of that military, or should we experiment at a time when our military is totally volunteer, when it’s extremely capable, and perhaps lose that capability, or perhaps lose those numbers, perhaps lose those re-enlistments, and perhaps lose that effectiveness?” Duncan Hunter, Chairman of House Armed Services Committee and Republican Congressional Representative of California, 2007 2006 was a difficult year for United States Army recruiters. In order to meet their goal number of recruits, military employees lowered mental and physical standards, allowed convicted felons to serve, and gave double the number of bonuses to enlist. It was also the year Jules returned from Iraq and moved back to California, without Fran. After being ambushed, shot at, and nearly blown up, spending more time with family seemed like the logical thing to do. Still eager to serve her community, Jules remained in the inactive reserve, and joined the Los Angeles Police Department. She completed training at the top of her class, and started working a beat that included San Pedro, Wilmington, Koreatown, and the Harbor Gateway. In September of 2007, an inattentive driver slammed into her police cruiser, crushing it against a two-foot tall brick wall. Jules’s legs were damaged, and she took time off of work to recover. She was lying on the couch, her crutches nearby on the floor, when the phone rang. On the other end, a Colonel informed her that an anonymous individual had tipped them off that Julianne was a homosexual. An investigation would be under way shortly. He read Jules her Article 31 rights, entitling her to silence and a lawyer. Julianne had two options: she could go before an administrative board, tell them that she was not a homosexual, and attempt to prove it, or she could resign her commission, with the possibility of receiving an honorable or general discharge. The separation form, a DD214, would follow her to every job application after. At 30 years old, Jules would have to present something that displayed her sexual orientation to future employers, and, since it was the reason for her discharge, bring her sexual conduct in as a hiring factor. It read, “This resignation is based on homosexual conduct, as evidenced by statements by me that I am a homosexual, or words to that effect. I do not wish to challenge the presumption that statements by me demonstrate that I engage in homosexual acts or have a propensity to engage in homosexual acts.” The traditional version of this separation document also included: “I understand that I do not rate nor do I desire a reserve commission.” Jules could not bring herself to sign the paper. Instead, she wrote a new draft. The ending read: “I understand that I do not rate a reserve commission. I would like nothing more than to continue to serve as a United States Marine. However, due to the current policy, this is not possible. Under the current policy, a Marine Officer who also happens to be an Ivy League graduate, Iraqi war veteran and LAPD Officer is not qualified to hold a Commission in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. It is my hope that someday the absurdity of this last sentence will empower our leadership to make changes which will allow otherwise qualified individuals to serve and to continue to serve.” - Julianne H. Sohn, 2007 Jules received a response from the military concerning her altered forms in May of 2008. Her commanders accepted her letter and granted her an Honorable Discharge, which is branded with the equivalent of a scarlet letter – “Q,” for Queer. She continues to serve in the Los Angeles Police Department, but knows that if Congress changed the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, she would enlist in the Marines yet again. Friends offered words of support when they learned that Jules was dismissed: “I am sorry integrity has a price but I am honored to be your friend.” “You have an opportunity to make sure that the injustice that was done to you, and to two other servicemembers every day, never happens again.” “You served with honor, and I consider it an honor to have served with you. Semper Fidelis.” Meanwhile, Darren Manzella returned to Fort Hood, Texas, where response from peers was overwhelmingly supportive. Hundreds of supportive emails from military servicemembers, both past and present, gay and straight, poured in. Six months after telling his story and openly announcing his sexuality on 60 Minutes in 2007, military commanders discharged him, ridding themselves of a potential liability that once provided medical aid to fellow soldiers, Iraqi National Guardsmen, and civilians. "I do believe the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy has been very effective. We've got the best military we've ever had. I think it's logical to leave this issue alone.” – John McCain, 2007 *Jessica, Erica, James, Thomas, and Paul are pseudonyms.
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| UCI | School of Humanities | Literary Journalism |