Harvard University will welcome ROTC back to campus now that Congress has repealed a ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, university president Drew Faust said...The move will end a four-decade standoff between one of the nation’s most prestigious universities and its armed forces. The tension began over the Vietnam War and continued in recent years as university administrators, faculty, and students objected to what they saw as discrimination against gays and lesbians.
The above was the 1940 class of NROTC at Harvard, the class which contributed some of the bravest men to the Navy during WW II. If memory serves me correct the reason for the removal was anti-war politics and had nothing to do with the issue at hand.
Ironically when I wrote the history of the USS Albert W Grant, DD-649, there were "gays" on board most ships in the Navy. It seems that everyone knew but as long as everyone did their job no mention was ever made of it. The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" scheme from Clinton seems to have been an artifact that brought the issue to the fore.
Having men and women in the military from all colleges is the best for the military as well as the colleges. It brings in some of the best of the best. Hopefully this move will improve Harvard as well as the Military. The history of great heroes from Harvard may again continue.
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