PageOneQ reminds us that rules are flexible things in “a time of war,” and the DADT rule seems to be one of them. I’d bet the number of openly gay people serving right now is even higher than 500, if you count those who are comfortable in their units in which everyone knows, and just doesn’t make an issue of it. In Manzella’s case, he outed himself because some jealous closet case (I’m betting) just couldn’t stand the thought of someone doing a good job and not moping and cowering with shame and guilt. This part struck me:

Manzella had voluntarily come out to his superiors after receiving anonymous threats to out him. An investigation in 2006 revealed “no evidence of homosexuality,” according to the Army, and Manzella was soon redeployed to Kuwait.  Read more 

CNN has a story up about a soldier who killed himself after unsuccessful attempts to quit his slot machine habit…a habit he picked up with the aid of the military. Welcome to Support the Troops Central: risk the lives of soldiers so multinationals can control Middle Eastern oil and gas, and then take those same soldiers’ money in the bargain via military slot machines.

Hey, Joe, you play me real good. Pull my arm. I will love you long time now.

Seriously.

A bill in Congress seeks to eliminate military slot machines overseas that take in $130 million a year, mostly from soldiers.

Aaron Walsh’s addiction to military slot machines ruined his Army career and led to his suicide.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tennessee, named the bill after Army Warrant Officer Aaron Walsh, a decorated Apache helicopter pilot who became addicted to gambling on military slot machines.  Read more 

Hmm. Seems the Little People in Iraq think they should have things like “justice” n stuff. Good luck with that:

By Mariam Karouny
BAGHDAD, July 10 (Reuters) - Iraq will ask the United Nations to end immunity from local law for U.S. troops, the human rights minister said on Monday, as the military named five soldiers charged in a rape-murder case that has outraged Iraqis.
In an interview a week after Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki demanded a review of foreign troops’ immunity, Wigdan Michael said work on it was now under way and a request could be ready by next month to go to the U.N. Security Council, under whose mandate U.S.-led forces are in control of Iraq.  Read more