President Barack Obama has begun consulting his advisers about lifting the ban on gays serving openly in the military.The current “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, law Section 654 Title 10, states a member of the U.S. Armed Forces will be released if he or she participates in homosexual behavior or if he or she states they are a homosexual. The law was passed by both parties of Congress in 1993.Matthew Patterson, former Daily Reveille opinion columnist and president of the University’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and straight/supporter organization, Spectrum, said he thinks it’s definitely time for the ban to be lifted.”This is our country, too,” Patterson said.Philip Pugh, Battalion Commander of Army ROTC at the University, said the Army will implement whatever legislation lawmakers decide. Congress has the power to raise and support armed and naval forces, according to Article I Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, therefore giving congress the power to make regulations for the military and forcing the army to follow the decisions of congress, Pugh said.U.S. Army recruiters at the Siegen Lane location and U.S. Army public relations officials in New Orleans declined to comment on the issue.Patterson doesn’t feel men being openly gay in the military should be uncomfortable for anyone.”When you’re out in the field, you’re not thinking about someone’s sexuality,” Patterson said. “You have more important things to worry about.”Not everyone agrees with Patterson, though. Darren Lucy, chemical engineering sophomore, said it would make him uncomfortable.”It would add discomfort to the workplace,” Lucy said. “I think it would take my mind off the task at hand.”Patterson said he thinks people should be able to work together without problems because the military has strict command and order.”The current policy assumes no one can control themselves, and that’s insulting to everyone,” Patterson said.James Cottrell, mass communication sophomore, points out that not many people want to join the military right now, and he thinks anyone who wants to shouldn’t be turned away. Kurt Dichiara, kinesiology sophomore, agrees with Cottrell.”If someone is ‘beast-mode’ enough to make it through all the training, then it shouldn’t matter [if they’re gay],” Dichiara said.Pugh said, historically, the army has been effective in implementing change. For example, the army was a leader in race relations and easily became integrated during the civil rights movement. – – – -Contact Nichole Oden at [email protected]