SUMMARY THE INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE GAY MEN, LESBIANS AND BISEXUALS IN FOREIGN MILITARIES * A comparative analysis of America's political and military allies demonstrates most of these countries have no bar to service for gay men, lesbians or bisexuals within their armed forces. No official policies of exclusion or segregation are permitted in a majority of these countries. Unofficial discrimination may exist due to the prejudice of certain individuals within the military. This unofficial discrimination is not tantamount to official policy and, if discovered or shown, would not be tolerated. * The military ban in the United States must be repealed. The experience of America's military allies demonstrates that morale and unit cohesion problems do not occur with significance upon the lifting of a ban or where no exclusionary policy exists. Similarly, mass resignations, violence against gay people, and privacy complaints have not been reported. Most gay people serve their nations proudly and effectively without their sexual orientation becoming an issue. * Although certain of the non-ban countries have social policies more liberal than those of the United States, not all of the countries fit this pattern. Canada and Australia are very similar in attitudes to the United States, and Israel would likely be considered more socially conservative. These nations do not ban gay, lesbian or bisexual service. * While true that the United States' military is unique in size and history, nothing about the U.S. armed forces suggests that the integration of persons known to be gay would be more problematic than has occurred abroad. * It is appropriate to compare the experience of America's political and military allies. Such comparison demonstrates that strict conduct regulations for on-base, on-duty sexual behavior are appropriate and necessary. These regulations are neutral with regard to sexual orientation. They assist the military in controlling sexual harassment, whether male against female, male against male, female against female. The mere knowledge that a soldier is gay or that the soldier may have off-base, off-duty consensual sexual relations with a person of the same gender is not permitted as a basis for exclusion or segregation in most of these countries. The conduct regulations make such unfair exclusion completely unnecessary. While examples of unofficial discrimination may occur and be shown, the toleration of such acts through the promulgation of an official policy of exclusion or disparate treatment is antithetical to the military mission. * The United States should implement strict conduct regulations which are neutral, on their face and in their application, and which will stop all sexual harassment and improper sexual conduct. These conduct regulations work for America's military allies and will accomplish the same military goals as the present exclusionary policy without denying any American citizen the opportunity to do his or her duty for his or her country. * * * * Prepared by the Legal/Policy Department of the Campaign for Military Service. 2707 Massachussetts Ave, NW Washington, DC 20009. (202) 265-6666.