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National Annenberg Election Survey 2004 - US Military Attitudes to Gays in the Military

This abstract is from the National Annenberg Election Survey dated 16 Oct 04 in which US service personnel where questioned on a range of topics including their attitude towards gays in the military. An interesting comparison can be drawn with the acceptance of female service personnel, for many years resisted as fiercely as the current debate about gays and "don't ask don't tell"

 The findings on gays in the military showed a striking difference by rank:

• Commissioned officers and their families opposed their inclusion by 53% to 39%.
• NCOs and their families were also clearly opposed, by a 57% to 35% margin.
• 50% of junior enlisted personnel junior said gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly, while 43% said they should not.

Respondents were asked their reason for support or opposition. Among those who opposed inclusion of gays and lesbians,

• 20% said inclusion would be a distraction and cause problems,
• 13% said it would be bad for morale,
• 12% said it would disrupt teamwork
• 15% percent said that homosexuality was wrong,
• 8% said they felt uncomfortable with homosexuals.
• 6% said homosexuality was incompatible with military service
• 5% percent cited close quarters as the reason for opposition.

Among supporters,

• 41% said homosexuals should have equal rights,
• 27% said sexual orientation had nothing to do with job performance,
• 10% percent said it did not bother them,
• 6% said it was a free country.

On another issue that had once divided the armed forces, the military sample resoundingly
approved the work of women in the service. Seventy-four percent said they performed as well as the men they served with, 10 percent said they did worse than men, and 7 percent said they did better than men.