Being Homo

The Brief

       "Do we have to respect them as normal people?" Private First Class McNeil my roommate asked.
"Can we block them from becoming our roommate or change them as a roommate, so that I don't get touched or molested by them fruitcakes?"

         In July of 2011, Obama had repealed the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. It was a policy that would not permit open homosexuals in the military. No one could ask if you are a homosexual and you couldn't tell anyone unless you wanted to get kicked out. Repealing that policy was the biggest stride forward in the military for people to live free and be themselves. I was stationed in the Republic of South Korea during that time. Even though the president had repealed the policy, it would not go into effect until the military was able to give a proper mandatory briefing on what it means in the army and what was going to change.
This was the scariest and the happiest day in my life. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted and I would only have to wait for a couple weeks until I wouldn't have to hide who I was anymore. During the two weeks, I was anxious and couldn't wait to feel free. It was a hard process that felt like an eternity in my mind. Time felt like it was getting slower and slower, 5 minutes felt like 20 and 30 minutes felt like an hour. It was is as if time would go on and on for those two weeks and I knew that I had no one that would be able to truly understand what I was going through.

         It was as if I was alone in the whole matter, like a lonely animal trapped in a cage. There was a lot of confusion, like my body temperature would rise and fall like heat waves being blown across the dessert. Finally, we were told that there was a date set for a briefing for the repeal, along with a question and answer session with the base commander. I was far more excited than a child told that he could walk into a candy store and have anything he wanted for free. In my head, this was my day of relief and let all the fear, anger and stress drift away. There were times I felt like I was some exotic animal on display in a zoo on display, to be mocked, made fun, to be alone with all their eyes focused on me like a very hungry hawk hunting for its next meal.
The day had finally arrived for the briefing. It was August 23rd 2011 at 0930 at the Camp Casey Base Theater. I had goosebumps all over. During this time the base commander (A commissioned officer who is at the sixth grade or level, also known as Colonel) had given his briefing on what has changed in the army: policies, rules and anything major or minor that would affect people put out. During his briefing, I could see his facial reactions to certain things. His face would contort with or without his meaning to. His facial expressions almost resembled the looks of my mother of being repulsed and dissatisfied. He would then make small subtle remarks about his beliefs and hint toward his religious belief on the matter well.

       "You know gays can be happy too, even though many will disagree." Said the commander with an undertone of disapproval.

      "Sure, they might be different but who cares?" as he smirks, as if it's a joke to him.

      "Maybe God or others will." As the commander caresses his cross neckless.

      "We are all grown men and women...and others, so let us act like we care for each other." As the commander shrugs oh so subtly.

        Those three comments he made only made my blood boil. I took notes on the new changes because it was going to affect me and others like me. I also took notes of everything he said that could be borderline offensive or taken as such, because a base commander should be professional and not another asshole with homophobic beliefs. If he could not be professional, remain unbiased, and treat all troops as one whole then he should not be in that position. I would look around and see what the others reactions were to everything being said, because it also had some effect on them as well. Some people would
overreact to certain topics such as Public Display of Affection (PDA). Some of them as expected would react the way I thought and would frown upon it.