September 20, 2011 marks the end of the military’s policy of expelling all homosexuals from the service. One part of the military policy, largely ignored and hidden from public view, was a policy formally termed “Indoctrination” that taught new enlistees why homosexuals were evil and a threat to the nation. It is one of the few examples of officially-sanctioned teaching of homophobia to literally millions of Americans.
A script was written to be voiced by the “line officer,” the “Medical Officer” and the “chaplain” to be given during the first weeks to all new enlistees. The script was to be followed without variation.
The script provides a time capsule of common American views of homosexuals, the consequences, the type of constant fear of police reprisals and job loss, and even suggests that the outcome for homosexuals was often murder or suicide.
CitiReport obtained the script through the Freedom of Information Act after several unsuccessful efforts through various government offices. Most often the official channels denied that such a script existed or had ever existed. It is found in Attachment Two of the Navy’s 1957 report prepared under Captain Crittenden that recommended an eventual re-evaluation of the policy.
That re-evaluation took more than 40 years.
What follows is the script for the “Line Officer” in charge of the entering recruits. It is followed in order by the psychiatrist and the chaplain, and each script is a separate post in this Special CitiReport on the day that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell came to its end.
GOOD Morning, I am __ The officer to my right/left is Dr. ___ and the one to
my left/right is Chaplain __.
We would like to speak to you today about a subject with which very likely many of you have never been confronted.
OUR TOPIC- – – – – – – – – – – – HOMOSEXUALITY
Now, this is a very serious subject. It is not a matter to be taken lightly nor joked about. The problem of homosexuality is one which could affect you not only as a member of the Navy, but throughout your entire life as well.
We learn every day from the newspapers, radio, television, our parents, schools and churches of many things both good and bad. This subject, however, is one which 1s not widely discussed through these media – or, for that matter even among our own families.
Today, therefore, we wish to discus this subject quite thoroughly in order that you may be aware of the dangers of homosexuality and the problems which it presents the Navy. In so doing we don’t wan’t to scare you or search into your past. But we do want to inform you of a situation which does exist and what the Navy expects of you should you encounter it.
It is the Navy’s intention that you receive authoritative information and straight forward facts. To this end I will discuss the Navy’s attitude and policy toward homosexuality and the legal and disciplinary measures which the Navy will take in all such cases that are brought to light.
Dr. __ will talk about the subject from a medical and psychiatric standpoint, and Chaplain ____ will speak to you on the moral aspects of homosexuality.
To start with, we immediately ask ourselves, “What is homosexuality?”
Well, it can be defined as an attempt to obtain sexual pleasure or enjoyment through a physical act or contact with another person of the same sex.
As many of you already know, homosexual persons are frequently referred to as queers, homos, faeries, pansies and other like terms.
Now the attitude and policy of the Navy towards the commission of homosexual acts is very clear and very positive. If anyone in the United States Navy is discovered, apprehended or proven to have engaged in any such act while in the Navy, whether one time or a hundred times, drunk or sober, whether his participation was active or passive, very serious consequences are inevitable.
Remember, one act is sufficient to convict a man. And it makes no difference whether the person was drunk or sober nor where the act was committed, on board ship, at a shore station or on liberty in town. Nor does it matter who took the lead in the act. Both are equally guilty as far as the Navy 1s concerned. And once the Navy finds out appropriate disciplinary action must follow.
What action is taken against the Navy man who is caught and what are the inevitably serious consequences of such action? One thing is certain! He will be discharged from the service under extremely discreditable conditions. He will either face trail by General Court Martial with a sentence of up to five years imprisonment in a federal penitentiary followed by a Dishonorable Discharge or, under certain circumstances he may be allowed to accept an Undesirable Discharge in order to escape trial by a General Court Martial.
He, therefore, either becomes an ex-convict in the truest sense of the word or he carries a discharge paper bearing the statement that be was discharged from the United States Navy under other than honorable conditions and without satisfactory service.
Either way he has been literally kicked out of the service and the consequences of a separation are manifold. He has bought disgrace upon himself, his family and friends. He has lost virtually all of his rights as a veteran under both Federal and State legislation. No government employment if any kind is open to him and he will indeed find it difficult to obtain decent employment with any civilian employer.
Why, do you ask, is the Navy so tough in its attitude towards homosexuals?
There are several reasons for this. First, homosexuals lower morals wherever they turn up. No decent individual wants them around, and this is especially true of the Navy where men must work and live so closely at all times, whether ashore or aboard ship.
Secondly, homosexuals usually try to involve previously innocent persons in their acts. Many men have been ruined and disgraced from either deliberately or carelessly becoming involved with them.
Thirdly, homosexuality is often associated with alcoholism, narcotics and acts of violence such as suicide, manslaughter and murder.
And finally, homosexuals have been found to be poor security risks. There are many cases where enemy agents, themselves homosexuals, either have obtained or have tried to obtain security information through their homosexual contacts. The threat of exposure to a man who has become thus involved could indeed be a very powerful inducement to give away information involved the security of our nation.
Quite obviously the Navy cannot and will not take a chance on such a person.
What are the chances of detection of a person engaging in homosexual acts?
Of one thing you may be certain: He will eventually be found out. Homosexuals form a minority group that is outcast from our society. As individuals they are constantly trying to involve normal persons in their acts, and once this is accomplished, the homosexual uses all kinds of pressure, including blackmail, to make them continue in these acts.
Most homosexuals keep a list of all their contacts and pass these names along to others of their kind. It is also a peculiarity of homosexuals that they will freely give all details of their contacts to law enforcement officers when picked up for questioning.
It is, therefore, true that once having engaged in a homosexual act a person can never feel safe from detection. Remember, it takes two to engage in a homosexual act; therefore, by its very nature there is always a witness to such an act, and that witness will not hesitate to talk freely.
Now — how could a normal, clean-minded young man get into such a mess?
Let me cite an example, the case history of, shall we say, John Doe. Before joining the Navy he was a decent young man. In his home town he had never come into contact with homosexual, nor, for that matter, did he know anything about them except in a very general way. He had heard about such people, but that was all. naturally he would have laughed at anyone who told him he could get mixed up with a homosexual. He does not realize that a man is not born a homosexual, but that he becomes such by his own actions. Neither is he fully aware of how little alcohol can befuddle one’s thinking and how, after a few drinks, he might do things he would never think of doing when sober.
John is an excellent recruit, one of the best men in his company, and well liked by all his shipmates. At the end of his fifth week of training Recruit Doe rates liberty and catches a bus for town.
Sitting next to him on the bus is a husky young civilian who engages John in a friendly conversation. This young civilian, learning that John is new in town and on his first liberty, offers to show him around.
This sounds find to John and he never suspects that his new found friend is actually a homosexual “on the make.” He has always identified homosexuals in his own mind as being effeminate in their manner of speech, gestures and walk.
After having done the town during the afternoon, this young man suggests going to his apartment for dinner after which he will line up a couple of girls for the evening. John is induced to have a few drinks while his friend appears to busy himself with dinner preparations and a number of naturally unsuccessful phone calls.
Recruit Doe is completely unaware that this young man has no intention if lining up any girls but that instead he wants John for himself. John, not being used to liquor,becomes pretty well loaded.
In this condition, the approach is made and John, unfortunately, becomes involved in homosexuality.
Later on a routine police check of known homosexuals finds John’s name in this individual’s address book. It is turned over to the Naval authorities and, after appropriate investigation, Recruit Doe, his Naval career hardly even started, is kicked out of the Navy, disgraced and with a discharge paper he does not like to show.
Let me cite another example, this one concerning security. During World War II, a naval enlisted man was assigned a billet where he handled secret correspondence.
Without thinking, he became involved with a civilian homosexual through, of all things, curiosity. This civilian, as it turned out, was not only a homosexual but an enemy agent as well.
The sailor, having been introduced to homosexuality, was blackmailed by the civilian, under threat of exposure to the authorities, to pass along certain security information to which he had access.
Meanwhile, the civilian, having been suspected of espionage activity, had been under constant surveillance by the Office of Naval Intelligence for some time.
When the O.N.I. finally cracked down and all of the facts of the case were brought to light, the civilian was tried and convicted of espionage. The Navy man was tried by General Court Martial and convicted of both espionage and the commission of homosexual acts.
The cases I have mentioned illustrate only a few of the ways in which a Navy man can become involved with homosexuals and the tragic results of getting mixed up with them.
Homosexuals know no boundaries. You might run into them wherever you go. They may turn up in bars, on the street, in busses and streetcars, in parks and various places of entertainment and even in your own barracks or aboard ship.
If you are approached or propositioned by a civilian homosexual, don’t cause a scene but get away from him quickly and stay away.
Should you receive a homosexual proposition from anyone in the service or have knowledge of the commission of a homosexual act by anyone in your ship or unit, it becomes your duty and responsibility to make the situation known to your Company Commander, Battalion Commander, Division Officer, Department Head or other person in authority as soon as possible.
In concluding this part of the lecture, I should like again to stress several important points:
(1) First of all, committing a homosexual act is a criminal offense.
Separation from the service is mandatory and this will be carried out either through trial by General Court Martial with a possible sentence of up to five years imprisonment and a Dishonorable Discharge, or under certain circumstances, by Undesirable Discharge.
(2) Secondly, both parties to a homosexual act are equally guilty. The Navy makes no distinction and alcohol is never accepted as an excuse.
(3) Thirdly, stay away from those places which you suspect or which are known to be hangouts for homosexuals. Even by being frequently seen in such places, you could be caused considerable embarrassment by having your name placed on the local police list and consequently picked up for questioning should a sex crime be committed in the area.
(4) And finally, don’t associate with strangers who are too persistent in being nice to you. Now that doesn’t mean that every stranger who offers you a drink or a free meal is a homosexual; but by remaining sober and alert and using common sense you will be able to suspect when something is out of line. Act accordingly!
The Navy Department is the constant target of tearful appeals from the parents, families and friends, and even from the men themselves, who have been discharged from the nave with discredit. They are asking for relief from the type of discharge received. They claim that the Navy has branded them as homosexuals and that they have been disgraced and cannot get decent jobs.;
Actually, the Navy has not branded these people. They have branded and disgraced themselves and no relief is possible. You cannot participate in homosexuality without sooner or later getting caught and men who engage in homosexual acts cannot and will not be tolerated by the United States Navy.
