| | Retired gay officers demand Pace apology, repeal of law
 Days after General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, created a minor firestorm when he justified his support for the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy by describing homosexuality as "immoral," a group of seven high-ranking gay veterans responded this morning with a call for Pace to apologize and for Congress to repeal the policy.
"Our community has a long history of serving our country in the armed
forces," the group said in a joint statement. "Today, there are more than 65,000 lesbian and gay troops on duty. Another one million gay and lesbian veterans, including the seven of us, have served in our fighting forces. General Pace's remarks dishonor that service, as does the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law. General Pace must offer an immediate and unqualified apology for his remarks and Congress must take action to repeal the ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans who want to serve our country."
The veterans, who have all served at least 20 years, "have earned scores of awards, honors and commendations during their careers," the US Newsire reports.
On Tuesday, Pace attempted to clarify his remarks in a statement that read, "In expressing my support for the policy, I also offered some personal opinions about moral conduct. I should have focused more on my support of the policy and less on my personal moral views." The seven veterans found themselves less than satisfied with the general's follow-up, however, writing "[a]s military leaders, we never discounted the enormous contribution that every service member brought to our armed forces. General Pace should do no less, and owes an apology to our men and women on the frontlines and their families."
The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, enacted by the Clinton administration in 1993, has come under heavy scrutiny recently as a number of service members, including 50 interpreters, have been expelled during the Iraq war for being homosexual.
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