So urgent is the Army's need for more troops in Iraq and Afghanistan that it recently summoned 5,600 ex-active duty soldiers back into uniform. But the need might not have been so great if the Army hadn't cashiered 6,300 troops for being gay over the past six years. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) in Washington released data last week showing that of the gay troops removed, 3,100 held jobs that are currently in demand. Those kicked out included truck drivers, medics, radio operators and combat engineers--the same kinds of soldiers the Pentagon is now seeking. SLDN, a gay advocacy group,...
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