Gay Recruit Turned Away From Army Center in Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An Army recruiting station turned away an openly gay man Wednesday morning who tried to enlist.<br/><br/>Michael Cich's attempt to join the Army was part of a national campaign

Wednesday, August 23rd 2006, 5:56 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An Army recruiting station turned away an openly gay man Wednesday morning who tried to enlist.

Michael Cich's attempt to join the Army was part of a national campaign by an organization challenging the military's "don't ask, don't tell policy" banning openly gay service members.

"I'm here to enlist in the Army but I want to be openly gay," Cich said after he walked into the recruiting station.

Capt. Eric Morris, commander of the Oklahoma City West Recruiting Company, said Cich, 27, would not be allowed to apply for service.

"Since you admitted you are openly gay, that's a violation of enlistment policies," Morris told him.

Cich's enlistment attempt was part of the "Right to Serve" campaign organized by the Minneapolis youth office of Soulforce, a national organization that advocates for gay rights.