The military now accepting openly gay enlistees — but it’s a double bind

Dan Choi has begun the process of re-enlisting. In one respect, that's huge news: The former Army infantry officer has been one of the most visible opponents of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," having protested the policy (and his own discharge) by twice handcuffing himself to the White House fence. The fact that he can re-enlist reflects a Pentagon directive (following the ruling of a federal judge that DADT is unconstitutional)  that tells recruiters they can now accept openly gay and lesbian applicants.

But, as the New York Times points out, the recruiters are also instructed to tell those applicants that DADT could be reinstated at any time — because the military is in the process of appealing the decision.

So, imagine the scenario:

This article appears in Oct 14-20, 2010.