An Oklahoman, Who Is Gay, Wants To Enlist In The Military

For 13 years, the US military has had a policy regarding gay recruits, Don't ask, Don't tell. But even if they don't ask Michael Cich from Stillwater says he's going to tell them. <br/><br/>Cich

Tuesday, August 22nd 2006, 11:22 am

By: News On 6

For 13 years, the US military has had a policy regarding gay recruits, Don't ask, Don't tell. But even if they don't ask Michael Cich from Stillwater says he's going to tell them.

Cich is part of the group "Right to Serve" and in 30 different cities across the country, gay men and lesbians will try to enlist in the military.

News on 6 reporter Steve Berg says Michael Cich says it's not a cause and it's not a stunt. "Yeah, we're actually looking for somebody that genuinely wants to serve in the military, because we can find any yokel off the street who wants to "be" in the military, but in all actuality, they just want to fight for a cause."

Cich's family has a history of military service, starting with his grandfather. "He served in the Army. And my dad was drafted actually in Vietnam, and he served in the Navy. And I have an older brother who just left the Army recently."

And in an unusual twist, Cich has an identical twin, who is straight, who will also try to enlist on Wednesday. He says if they take his brother and not him, then there's no question why they're rejected him. It would be easy for Cich to simply follow the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and he'd most likely get in. But he says in some ways, it wouldn't be easy. "I have a friend who was in military service who wanted to put in 20 years or service, but after 5 years, he was like that's enough, I can't take it. Its too much pressure. It's too much hiding. If people don't think there are gay people serving with them now, they're lying to themselves, because I have lots of friends in the military who are gay who aren't choosing to be out because they want to be in the service."

In any event, he says he will be giving the process the respect it deserves. "We're not going in there banging drums, we're not going in the carrying banners. We're going in just like any other recruit would, except the only difference is, we're going in there completely honest, saying I'm gay, I want to serve in the military, what do I need to do to make that happen."

Cich knows he has virtually zero chance of enlisting, but he says this is a first step. He says this marks the first widespread challenge to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.