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I didn't give a shit what they did after hours as long as they busted their ass for me during working hours and I knew I could depend upon them if the balloon went up.


That's really what I was trying to get at. For any ordinary activity a civilian might encounter just ordering "integrate!" is not a big deal. But a combat force depends one each guy trusting the others to cover their backs even at great personal risk in ways you don't usually see in civilian life.

Civilians with no military experience - like me - are a little reluctant to tamper with that mysterious "band of brothers" psycology that comes into play when the bullets start flying. For ordinary activities away from battle gays are not going to be a big deal, but what happens when "the balloon goes up" is what counts and what I'm a little reluctant to tamper with. I doubt it matters compared to other factors - see Vietnam errors - but I'm real reluctant to ask a bunch of guys to die to find out.
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"If they can't picture me with a knife, forcing them to strip in an alley, I don't want any part of it. It's humiliating." - windsock