Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 30, 1993                   TAG: 9303300053
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

JUST DON'T ASK RECRUITS, NUNN SUGGESTS ON GAY BAN

That policy, begun by President Clinton, "is rather a good place to be. . . . It may be a pretty good place to end up," said Nunn as his Armed Service Committee opened hearings on the issue.

But, Nunn added, "it's not going to be satisfactory to the groups that want to lift the ban. So it doesn't solve the problem so far as a large portion of this is concerned."

Nunn, D-Ga., and most of his committee have opposed Clinton's proposal to do away with the ban. And there was no indication in Monday's opening statements that opinions had changed.

"Am I open-minded as we begin? Not completely, I must concede," said Sen. James Exon, D-Neb.

Sen. Lauch Faircloth, R-N.C., said, "There were good reasons for [the ban] in the first place, and nothing has changed now."

The session was dedicated to expert testimony on the legal history and constitutional issues surrounding the dispute. The Constitution gives Congress authority to act, but the implications of whatever action is taken could be complex and difficult, witnesses said.

Although other nations allow homosexuals in the military, cultural, legal and other differences might make those cases poor models for determining what problems might ensue for U.S. forces, the witnesses said.

There also is only limited value, they said, in comparing the issue with the integration of blacks into the services nearly a half-century ago or the more recently expanded role of women.

Without "letting the genie out of the bottle, we won't know for certain," said David Burrelli, a defense analyst at the Library of Congress.

The panelists were dismissed as "cardboard witnesses" by Thomas Stoddard, director of the Campaign for Military Service, a group of gay-rights and civil liberties organizations formed to fight the ban. "We call upon Senator Nunn to call to testify in future hearings individual men and women who have actually borne the brunt of this policy," he said.

The president ordered the military to stop asking recruits about sexual orientation, but further action was put on hold while Congress holds hearings and a Pentagon inquiry is completed.

Clinton has stressed the military should draw the line at undesirable conduct, instead of merely stated sexual orientation. But the experts said that could prove difficult to determine.