For starters, a gay person would likely run into many of the same problems in their local police department or fire department. Sure, there might not be an official policy of terminating employment if one is found to be LGBT and there might even be a law or policy explicitly forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. But that doesn’t mean it would be a walk in the part.

Also, I get the impression that the number of job openings for both police and firefighters is awful small and there’s usually an overabundance of applicants waiting to fill those positions. The likelihood of getting into one of those positions is probably much smaller than the likelihood of getting into the military, which has been struggling to meet its recruiting requirements for years now.

Also, it may be about more than just serving one’s country. Military service can provide essential connections, tools, and training for future career plans. Remember that for the past couple decades, short term military service has been promoted as an alternative for those young men and women who want to work towards a better future for themselves but don’t feel called towards college. I can see why LGBT might consider that route themselves.

But in the end, their reasons are their own. And whatever they are, it’s a route they should be allowed to take, just like their heterosexual compatriots.

Become a cop or firefighter, join the Peace Corps, or something like that instead, imo.

Yeah, we can’t possibly repeal this policy. Can you just imagine how AWFUL it would be for some poor homophobe to share a shower with a gay? Better to just ruin people’s lives for ever admitting they had sex. That’s the fair thing.