ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, February 27, 1997 TAG: 9702270060
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Los Angeles Times
In the three years since the Clinton administration adopted its controversial ``don't ask, don't tell'' policy, the number of military service personnel discharged for homosexual activity has increased, but the figures are still well below those of a decade ago, a gay rights organization said Wednesday.
Secretary of Defense William Cohen said the report's findings failed to make a case for a policy change, but three dozen members of Congress urged him to take further steps to ensure gays in the military are not being harassed.
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network said many commanders routinely violate the intent of President Clinton's policy by actively trying to identify and discharge gay and lesbian personnel, including those who choose to keep their sexual orientation secret.
The organization's annual report said 850 personnel were discharged for homosexual activities in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, slightly higher than the 722 in the previous year and sharply above the 597 recorded in the 1994 fiscal year, during which the policy was in effect for seven months.
Last year's discharges fell disproportionately hard on women, who accounted for 29 percent of the dismissals while representing only 13 percent of the active force. The report speculated that women were often accused of being lesbians in retaliation for rebuffing the sexual advances of male superiors.
Cohen dismissed the figures as a normal statistical fluctuation. ``It may go up this time, it may go down the next,'' he said.
LENGTH: Short : 38 linesby CNB