> tomr@bnr.ca writes:
>I am posting press release's from HRCF in an effort to keep our community
>informed as political events unfold in Washington.

 [...big chunk deleted...]

>"The report confirms that the current policy is a waste of tax dollars that
>undermines the American ideals of equal opportunity and equal responsibility.
>We will continue to press for an end to the ban through legislation.  Americans
>will not tolerate this waste by the Pentagon and the White House.  Our country
>cannot afford to discard competent soldiers and sailors and throw away millions
>of dollars."

Just how many millions of dollars thrown away are discussed in
an article in today's (6/19/92) San Francisco Chronicle by
Randy Shilts.

The study found that 17,000 service members were dismissed between
1980 and 1990 for being gay.  In 1990, 932 were dismissed.  The
General Accounting Office (Congress's investigatory agency) found
that the recruiting and initial training costs associated with the
replacement of personnel discharged for homosexuality was $28,226
for each enlisted troop and $120,772 for each officer.  So the
total replacement cost in 1990 was about $27 million, and for the
period 1980-1990, about $498 million.

The report cautioned that the actual cost is probably much higher,
because these estimates do not include what the Defense Dept.
spends to investigate and prosecute discharge cases.  It also
suggests that the actual number of gays discharged for homosexuality
may be much higher, because officers are often permitted to resign,
and enlisted service-people are sometimes processed out under
regulations other than the gay policy.
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rod williams -=- pacific bell -=- san francisco -=- rjwill6@pacbell.com