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I have more than 24 years of active-duty service and would like to respond to "Let’s treat everyone fairly" (letter, Feb. 9).

The writer wishes to equate the segregation of whites and blacks in the military with the ban on homosexuals openly serving in the military. She is correct in saying that it is a shame how society treated black servicemembers 50 years ago.

We as a nation had to grow up and see everyone for whom they are and not by the color of their skin. I don’t feel we are mature enough to incorporate openly homosexual soldiers in our military.

In Iraq, soldiers share living quarters and shower areas. Would the writer feel comfortable knowing someone was possibly "checking out" her husband in the shower? Would the writer agree to her husband sharing quarters and showers with a female soldier?

We separate male and female soldiers to prevent them from feeling as if they are being observed in a sexual manner; we provide them privacy from the opposite sex. Having an openly gay servicemember means that sense of privacy is gone.

Now, we could place gay soldiers with other gay soldiers and create a gay shower area. But then wouldn’t the gay soldier’s partner in the States feel possibly threatened? Would it be fair to put a gay soldier who was in a committed relationship in the same room with another gay soldier who might be looking for a relationship?

Unfortunately, we cannot provide every soldier with his or her own room and shower or predict whether we can do that in future deployments. When our society is mature enough to allow unmarried men and women to live together in the same quarters and shower together, then we’re mature enough to allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in our military.

Master Sgt. William MaGruderCamp Liberty, Iraq

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