Are marines gay

Every June, the LGBTQ+ group and allies celebrate what has become "Pride Month."

He was the first American injured in the Iraq War, hit by an exploding land mine that broke his left leg, caused long-term nerve damage in his right hand, and so severely impacted his right leg that it had to be amputated to spare his life. He had been in Iraq for only three hours.

While those injuries were severe, they were not the only things tormenting Marine Eric Alva while he served his country. As a gay man, had his sexuality been known, he would have been discharged from the Marines.

Alva was the final of three speakers for the academic year’s last Faculty of Arts and Sciences Diversity Dialogues, “Overcoming Obstacles: Managing Complex Intersectionality.”

“It’s an absorbing story, the intersectionality of my life,” said the retired staff sergeant. “I am a gay bloke. I am a Joined States Marine. … I am also disabled and I am also Hispanic.”

Alva decided he wanted to join the Marines while he was still in high school. After graduation, he went to the local recruiters’ office. At 5-foot-1 and only 90 pounds, he said the Marine recruiters “laughed at me and told me ‘the Air Force is down the hall.’” That was frustrating, he admitted, “

Marines On Military's Prohibit On Gays

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Back in the U.S., we went looking for the opinions of more Marines on whether don't inquire, don't tell should be repealed.

Catherine Welch of member station WHQR gathered an unscientific sampling from Marines near Camp Lejuene in North Carolina.

CATHERINE WELCH: When you tool around town looking for Marines, first try Hooters. That's where a group of Marines were standing out in the cold smoking. They were plenty talkative but clammed up when it came to what they thought about don't inquire, don't tell.

Unidentified Man #1: I support my commander-in-chief in whatever he does because we are the president's army.

WELCH: There were a few variations but throughout the night it was pretty much don't ask because I'm not going to tell you.

Unidentified Man #2: I go after the president's order on what he says as we've always done.

WELCH: A few blocks down the street at Applebee's, Corporal Miley Hoting(

Marines get trained on accepting gay recruits

If a Marine spots two men in his battalion kissing off-duty at a shopping mall, he should react as if he were seeing a man and female. If he turns on the television news to see a fellow Marine dressed as a civilian and marching in a parade with a banner that reads, "Support Gays and Lesbians in the Military!" he should receive it as a free right of expression.

Prescriptions for those possible scenarios are being played out at Marine bases as the U.S. military prepares to allow gays to openly serve, ending a 17-year-old policy commonly known as "don't ask, don't tell." Training for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines began early this year and is expected to finish by summer's end. The repeal goes into effect 60 days after the president, defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that lifting the ban won't bruise the military's ability to fight. It could depart into full effect by late summer or soon fall, by some estimates.

"These changes are about policy," states briefing material for Marine instructors. "The policy is about adherence to orders and behavior, and not about beliefs."

The latest round of training

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