UWG Professor Weighs in on Pentagon Survey Findings

The Pentagon’s conclusion that repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy will not disrupt military effectiveness comes as no surprise to Daniel Helminiak, professor of psychology at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton.
The shift in attitudes is generational, said Helminiak, who has written extensively on homosexuality.
“It really is no surprise to me that it came out so positively,” Helminiak said.
“I’ve seen, over the years, a shift in the students’ attitudes. The young adults these days have had gay and lesbian friends since their junior high days. They are very comfortable with their sexuality and understand it much better than other generations. They are not afraid of one another. This change is all for the good.”
The survey, released this week by the Pentagon, revealed that two-thirds of the overall force predicted little impact on the military's ability to wage combat if gays were allowed to serve openly.