2008 Woodie Awards
Military to recruit on campus
Caroline Stauffer
Issue date: 2/10/05 Section: News
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Captain David Doucette of the United States Marine Corps was on hand Tuesday evening to explain the US' policy of "don't ask don't tell" concerning homosexuality in the armed forces in a standing-room-only McCardell Bicentennial Hall lecture room. After completing the presentation, the military was granted the right to recruit on the Middlebury College campus.
The College's Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer Statement/College Recruitment Policies include a provision stating that when a potential employer refuses to or cannot sign the College's recruiting form, it can still recruit on campus after holding an open meeting with the college community to explain why it cannot conform to the nondiscrimination policy.
This is the first instance in which a potential recruiter has opted to hold such a meeting, according to Dean of Student Affairs Ann Hanson, who moderated the discussion.
It is also the first time the military has attempted to recruit on Middlebury's campus since the implementation of the nondiscrimination policy.
After Hanson urged the audience to engage in an appropriate and respectful conversation, Doucette offered a 15-minute explanation of U.S. Code Title 10, which explains why homosexuals are not allowed to enter the armed forces. In this document, the term homosexual is defined as "any person, regardless of sex, who engages in, attempts to engage in, has a propensity to engage in, or intends to engage in homosexual acts, and includes the terms 'gay' and 'lesbian.'" The policy was changed in 1993 and continued to exclude homosexuals, but also prohibited the military from ever asking the sexual orientation of recruits and members.
"I'm here to find future leaders for the Marine Corps," Doucette said, emphasizing that future pilots were especially sought after. Doucette pursued the opportunity to recruit at Middlebury at the request of a student who wanted classmates to know about educational programs to help students pursue commissions with the U.S. Marine Corps.
The College's Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer Statement/College Recruitment Policies include a provision stating that when a potential employer refuses to or cannot sign the College's recruiting form, it can still recruit on campus after holding an open meeting with the college community to explain why it cannot conform to the nondiscrimination policy.
This is the first instance in which a potential recruiter has opted to hold such a meeting, according to Dean of Student Affairs Ann Hanson, who moderated the discussion.
It is also the first time the military has attempted to recruit on Middlebury's campus since the implementation of the nondiscrimination policy.
After Hanson urged the audience to engage in an appropriate and respectful conversation, Doucette offered a 15-minute explanation of U.S. Code Title 10, which explains why homosexuals are not allowed to enter the armed forces. In this document, the term homosexual is defined as "any person, regardless of sex, who engages in, attempts to engage in, has a propensity to engage in, or intends to engage in homosexual acts, and includes the terms 'gay' and 'lesbian.'" The policy was changed in 1993 and continued to exclude homosexuals, but also prohibited the military from ever asking the sexual orientation of recruits and members.
"I'm here to find future leaders for the Marine Corps," Doucette said, emphasizing that future pilots were especially sought after. Doucette pursued the opportunity to recruit at Middlebury at the request of a student who wanted classmates to know about educational programs to help students pursue commissions with the U.S. Marine Corps.