CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As a native son of Clarksburg, I read with great interest the Gazette's recent editorial calling for equality in our nation's armed forces. From my perspective, as a retired Air Force chief master sergeant, the article was spot-on.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell is the only federal law that requires employment discrimination. It clearly defines who must be discriminated against, and there are no exceptions. The law is ruthlessly bigoted. We entrust our nation's security and, moreover, our lives to the ability of military commanders to exercise good judgment under high pressure. Yet, by law, we tie their hands and force them to fire top-performing fighting men and women.

Seldom do we hear of the young artillery sergeant from Clarksburg who was fired despite having just won the coveted Soldier of the Year Award at Fort Sill, Okla. Nor the story of the young Iraq combat veteran from just across the Ohio River who held his Purple Heart against his chest and pleaded to be allowed to go back into battle and continue to serve.

I assure you that all who would be expelled by Don't Ask, Don't Tell joined and served for the selfsame reasons as the rest of the sons and daughters of West Virginia. Some signed up for a job, some for education, and some for a career. But in all of their hearts was a deep sense of patriotism and love for their country that had been instilled in them by their parents and families.

It's not a matter of whether they can serve, or whether the military can tolerate their service. In his analysis of a 2008 Zogby poll, retired Rear Adm. Alan M. Steinman said: "Nearly 20 percent of combat troops know for certain there are gays in their own unit, and less than a quarter of them say that gays should not be allowed to serve openly."

When asked specifically if lifting the ban on gays would seriously disrupt the military, Army Secretary John McHugh said there is no reason to think major turmoil would ensue. "The Army has a big history of taking on similar issues, [with] predictions of doom and gloom that did not play out," he told The Army Times.

It is not a matter of America is becoming "more tolerant and accepting." Instead, America as a whole has come to understand that differences don't really matter and that our innate propensity to define others as different is wasteful. After all, society has had centuries to learn that lesson and decades now for our military to learn.

We must get past petty arguments about this topic. As for showers (let's rethink gang showers in high school gymnasiums), integrated barracks (let's rethink college dormitories and apartment buildings), religious differences (should we have separate armies of different faiths?), and the right to privacy (let's examine whose private life was invaded to create this modern form of segregation in the first place).

A sergeant's primary duty is to maintain good order, good discipline, cohesive teams and honed skills among the enlisted force and to be a conduit between them and commissioned officers. A chief is well-educated and undergoes years of focused leadership training. It is quite insulting to someone of that level of experience and wisdom to be told that they are incapable of leading people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, education and capabilities. There is a Uniform Code of Military Justice that is used to punish and correct breeches of law and discipline in the military. Don't Ask, Don't Tell is simply not a needed enhancement to that code.

The president cannot repeal this travesty alone. The military is ready for this change. Congress must act. Free-thinking, fair-minded people of West Virginia should tell them to do so. Only Rep. Alan Mollohan has signed on as a co-sponsor of HR 1283, the repeal bill. Where is Rep. Shelley Capito?

Soon we will celebrate Veterans Day. I ask my fellow West Virginians to honor every veteran. Seek out those who would be removed by this law and specifically thank them for their service, just as you would any of the rest of us who served to protect you, your family, your property and your freedoms.

Gainer is a retired Air Force veteran of 23 years. He served two tours in Vietnam and received five Meritorious Service Medals and the Bronze Star. He is a director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. He holds a bachelor's degree from Texas Lutheran College and a master's from the University of Southern California.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As a native son of Clarksburg, I read with great interest the Gazette's recent editorial calling for equality in our nation's armed forces. From my perspective, as a retired Air Force chief master sergeant, the article was spot-on.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell is the only federal law that requires employment discrimination. It clearly defines who must be discriminated against, and there are no exceptions. The law is ruthlessly bigoted. We entrust our nation's security and, moreover, our lives to the ability of military commanders to exercise good judgment under high pressure. Yet, by law, we tie their hands and force them to fire top-performing fighting men and women.

Seldom do we hear of the young artillery sergeant from Clarksburg who was fired despite having just won the coveted Soldier of the Year Award at Fort Sill, Okla. Nor the story of the young Iraq combat veteran from just across the Ohio River who held his Purple Heart against his chest and pleaded to be allowed to go back into battle and continue to serve.

I assure you that all who would be expelled by Don't Ask, Don't Tell joined and served for the selfsame reasons as the rest of the sons and daughters of West Virginia. Some signed up for a job, some for education, and some for a career. But in all of their hearts was a deep sense of patriotism and love for their country that had been instilled in them by their parents and families.

It's not a matter of whether they can serve, or whether the military can tolerate their service. In his analysis of a 2008 Zogby poll, retired Rear Adm. Alan M. Steinman said: "Nearly 20 percent of combat troops know for certain there are gays in their own unit, and less than a quarter of them say that gays should not be allowed to serve openly."

When asked specifically if lifting the ban on gays would seriously disrupt the military, Army Secretary John McHugh said there is no reason to think major turmoil would ensue. "The Army has a big history of taking on similar issues, [with] predictions of doom and gloom that did not play out," he told The Army Times.

It is not a matter of America is becoming "more tolerant and accepting." Instead, America as a whole has come to understand that differences don't really matter and that our innate propensity to define others as different is wasteful. After all, society has had centuries to learn that lesson and decades now for our military to learn.

We must get past petty arguments about this topic. As for showers (let's rethink gang showers in high school gymnasiums), integrated barracks (let's rethink college dormitories and apartment buildings), religious differences (should we have separate armies of different faiths?), and the right to privacy (let's examine whose private life was invaded to create this modern form of segregation in the first place).

A sergeant's primary duty is to maintain good order, good discipline, cohesive teams and honed skills among the enlisted force and to be a conduit between them and commissioned officers. A chief is well-educated and undergoes years of focused leadership training. It is quite insulting to someone of that level of experience and wisdom to be told that they are incapable of leading people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, education and capabilities. There is a Uniform Code of Military Justice that is used to punish and correct breeches of law and discipline in the military. Don't Ask, Don't Tell is simply not a needed enhancement to that code.

The president cannot repeal this travesty alone. The military is ready for this change. Congress must act. Free-thinking, fair-minded people of West Virginia should tell them to do so. Only Rep. Alan Mollohan has signed on as a co-sponsor of HR 1283, the repeal bill. Where is Rep. Shelley Capito?

Soon we will celebrate Veterans Day. I ask my fellow West Virginians to honor every veteran. Seek out those who would be removed by this law and specifically thank them for their service, just as you would any of the rest of us who served to protect you, your family, your property and your freedoms.

Gainer is a retired Air Force veteran of 23 years. He served two tours in Vietnam and received five Meritorious Service Medals and the Bronze Star. He is a director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. He holds a bachelor's degree from Texas Lutheran College and a master's from the University of Southern California.