Comments on: Chain Gangs Have "Unit Cohesion" Too

By: Phil T.

Phil T. — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 08:38:25 +0000

Some behavioral scientists study a distinction between "social cohesion" and "task cohesion." Which should lead the military to ask, which is more important? That no one in the unit be exposed to someone they might not like, or that the unit gets the job done?

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 08:51:40 +0000

That's not half as crazy as living in a country where importing the wrong variety of flower is a felony, but aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, and vehicular homicide are all misdemeanors.

By: EclectEcon

EclectEcon — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 04:43:55 +0000

They won't take us older people either.

By: johnmichael

johnmichael — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 20:45:33 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day.

I must be out of it. I didn't realize that keeping gays out of the military was still such an issue. I for some reason thought it had been resolved.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:28:30 +0000

I don't think unit cohesion is "gobbledygook" but I also don't think it is affected by the presence of gays or lesbians. That claim is a straw man (or woman).

By: Windypundit

Windypundit — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:27:11 +0000

"I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces. Our military has been stretched thin by our deployments in the Middle East, and we must welcome the service of any American who is willing and able to do the job."

That's no wacky liberal do-gooder, that's General John M. Shalikashvili, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a NYT op ed.

Gays have been serving openly but unofficially in the military for a while now, especially under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and the data is in: Gay soldiers serve as honorably as straight soldiers, and their presence doesn't don't harm unit cohesion.