West Point

Name: West Point – United States Military Academy Location: West Point, New York Enrollment: 4,000 Website: www.usma.edu

Concerning GLBT Equality:

The U.S. Army Homosexual Conduct Policy.

1. General.
1. This policy implements section 654 of Title 10, United States Code. Department of Defense has stated that the suitability of persons to serve in the Army is based on their conduct and their ability to meet required standards of duty performance and discipline.
2. Definitions are as follows:
1. Bisexual. A person who engages in, attempts to engage in, has a propensity to engage in, or intends to engage in both homosexual and heterosexual acts.
2. Homosexual. A person, regardless of sex, who engages in, attempts to engage in, has a propensity to engage in, or intends to engage in homosexual acts as further described in (3) below.
3. Sexual orientation. An abstract sexual preference for persons of a particular sex, as distinct from a propensity or intent to engage in sexual acts.
3. Homosexual conduct. “Homosexual conduct” is a homosexual act, a statement by a soldier that demonstrates a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts, the solicitation of another to engage in homosexual act or acts, or a homosexual marriage or attempted marriage.
1. A “homosexual act” means any bodily contact, actively undertaken or passively permitted, between members of the same sex for the purpose of satisfying sexual desires and any bodily contact (for example, handholding, slow dancing, or kissing) that a reasonable person would understand to demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in such bodily contact.
2. A “statement by a person that he or she is a homosexual or bisexual or words to that effect” means language or behavior that a reasonable person would believe intends to convey the statement that a person engages in, attempts to engage in, has a propensity to engage in, or intends to engage in homosexual acts. This may include statements such as “I am a homosexual,” “I am gay,” “I am a lesbian,” “I have a homosexual orientation,” and the like.
3. A “homosexual marriage or attempted marriage” is when a person has married or attempted to marry a person known to be of the same biological sex (as evidenced by the external anatomy of the person involved).
2. Accession policy. A person’s sexual orientation is considered a personal and private matter and is not a bar to entry or continued service unless manifested by homosexual conduct in a manner described in a(3). Applicants for enlistment, appointment, or induction into the Army will not be asked or required to reveal whether they are heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual. Applicants also will not be required to reveal whether they have engaged in homosexual conduct unless independent evidence is received indicating that the applicant engaged in such conduct or unless the applicant volunteers a statement that he or she is a homosexual or bisexual or words to that effect. Homosexual conduct is grounds for barring entry into the army, except as provided in AR 601-210. Applicants will be informed of the laws and regulations governing sexual conduct in the armed services, including homosexual conduct as defined in a(3). AR 601-210, and NGBR 600-200 governs the Army accession policy.
3. Separation policy. Homosexual conduct is grounds for separation from the army under the terms set forth in paragraph a (3). AR 635-100, AR 635-200, AR 135- 175, and 135-178, govern Army separation policies.

This document can be downloaded as a PDF from the West Point website here.

Statement of faith from the West Point Chaplain
We affirm the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the ultimate guide for our values, attitudes, and behaviors in all relationships. We will seek to foster the development of spiritual maturity through maintaining a personal devotional life and through participating in community worship and prayer. We will seek to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace, and in gentleness, patience and humility, accept one another in love. We will seek to encourage one another to mature in Christ-likeness through attempting to speak the truth in love in the classrooms, in business affairs, in social relationships, and in all other areas of our common life.

We will seek to encourage unity in families through responsible relationships. We will seek to respect and encourage our uniqueness in Christ, which includes our diversity of denomination, race, culture, personality, experience, gifts, and goals. We will seek to become involved individually and corporately with the Church in ministering to spiritual and social needs within and beyond our own community. We renounce attitudes such as greed, jealousy, false pride, lust, bitterness, hostility, an unforgiving spirit, and prejudice such as that based on race, sex, and academic or socio-economic status.

We renounce behaviors such as distortion of God’s Word, deception, falsehood, drunkenness, stealing, and sexual immorality such as premarital intercourse, adultery and homosexual behavior. We believe where conflict or sin occurs in the West Point community, a biblical process such as stated in Matthew Ch.18:15-20 should be followed to seek correction, forgiveness, restitution, and reconciliation. We will seek to practice an attitude of mutual submission according to the mind of Christ, recognizing that at times our personal rights and preferences must be put aside for the sake of others’ conscience and the good of the community. We will seek to encourage the cultivation of such spiritual attitudes as love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.