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Marine Sgt. Maj. Micheal Barrett is almost a textbook Marine. He’s the service’s top non-commissioned officer; he’s enjoyed an extraordinary career including combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan; and when Barrett, the Command Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, talks, those around him are inclined to listen.
With this in mind, Barrett was recently selected to be the senior enlisted adviser to Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos, and joined Amos last week in visits to Marine bases in the Pacific. After addressing several issues of importance to the Corps, Barrett talked about the end of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
“Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution is pretty simple,” he told a group of Marines at a base in South Korea. “It says, ‘Raise an army.’ It says absolutely nothing about race, color, creed, sexual orientation.
“You all joined for a reason: to serve,” he continued. “To protect our nation, right?”
“Yes, sergeant major,” Marines replied.
“How dare we, then, exclude a group of people who want to do the same thing you do right now, something that is honorable and noble?” Sgt. Maj. Barrett continued, raising his voice just a notch. “Right?”
Sgt. Maj. Barrett then described conversations with U.K. troops, who saw a similar ban lifted a decade ago, with little disruption. And to drive the point home, he produced a pocket copy of the Constitution.
“Get over it,” he said. “We’re magnificent, we’re going to continue to be…. Let’s just move on, treat everybody with firmness, fairness, dignity, compassion and respect. Let’s be Marines.”
Any questions?
Maybe someone should send a copy of Barrett’s remarks to the 29 House Republicans who are still desperately trying to prevent the new policy from taking effect.
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Greytdog on June 21, 2011 3:42 PM:
Semper Fi. Sgt. Maj. Micheal Barrett epitomizes that which is good and just and AMERICAN.
c u n d gulag on June 21, 2011 3:45 PM:
I'm betting that most, if not ALL, of those 29 didn't serve a single day in the military - except for that new Teabagger loon from FL, West.
Their only contact with the military was GI Joe's, and John Wayne movies.
And, uhm, Republicans morons, John Wayne never served a second in the military.
Lifelong Dem on June 21, 2011 3:45 PM:
Damn, I got chills reading that. True patriotism.
Mr. Serf Man on June 21, 2011 3:49 PM:
but....but... St Ronnie imagined that he was in the service and he sure didn't cotton to none of those gay things.
treetop on June 21, 2011 3:53 PM:
That's Capt. St. Ronnie.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reagan#Military_service
Marko on June 21, 2011 4:00 PM:
Nothing like an old-school safety brief to put your mind at ease. (with apologies to the movie, Avatar)
DAY on June 21, 2011 4:22 PM:
I wonder how many of those 29 have fantasies about being in the showers with a platoon of buff, nekkid, and all slithery, soapy gyrenes?????
TCinLA on June 21, 2011 4:32 PM:
If he's the Command Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, there's no "almost" about him. He is the textbook.
GET RID OF THE @#%#@@$#!!!@ "CAPTCHA:!!!!!!!!!!!
jomo on June 21, 2011 4:38 PM:
The comments on the WSJ are revealing. There are bigots to be sure - but there are far more people willing to call the bigots out. Didn't expect to see that in the Journal.
Quaker in a Basement on June 21, 2011 5:03 PM:
Just one minor quibble:
"Get over it," he said. "We're magnificent, we're going to continue to be. Let's just move on, treat everybody with firmness, fairness, dignity, compassion and respect. Let's be Marines Americans."
Quaker in a Basement on June 21, 2011 5:05 PM:
Imagine the effect of strike tags on "Marines"
Joe Student on June 21, 2011 8:04 PM:
The other thing.
The military soldiers, sailors and airmen (or is it airpersons now) are professional. They will follow lawful orders. If they can't, then they are unprofessional and deserve to be left.
There will always be those that act unprofessionally, and they will either leave, or be kicked out. I recall a time about 20 years ago, when a fresh faced ensign saw a black man showering in the officers head on board a navy vessel. Asking if the "boy" knew it was for officers only, the Ensign asked where he worked, and proudly escorted him to the ready room, only to find out it was the squadron's executive officers. That ensign's resignation of his commission was processed immediately.
knightphoenix2 on June 21, 2011 10:15 PM:
@Joe Student,
The only thing I would have done differently is give that "ensign" a dishonorable discharge!
Pete Anderson on June 21, 2011 10:30 PM:
I served 28 1/2 years in the US Air Force [~10 years active duty and 18 in the Ready Reserves] and retired as an 0-5 or Lt Col. I have always felt that the military 'showed the way'in matters of fairness, and acceptance of others. I'm proud to read these responses!
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