Interview with Margarethe “Grethe” Cammermeyer

I saw this interview with Margarethe Cammermeyer from the Windy City Times.

I first read about Margarethe’s story in this book, which I loved:

Another book telling her story:

From the interview:

WCT: I’ve read that the lack of recruiting numbers for the war in Iraq has in a quiet way turned the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy into more of a “Keep it on the Down Low” policy. Is that what you’ve heard?

MC: You could be deaf, blind and dumb and they’ll take you because they are in such dire straits, which again speaks to the irony of, “Why do you discharge 11,000 trained troops when they are willing to stay in and serve?” While this talks about the discharges, it doesn’t talk about those who don’t re-up because [they don’t want] to put up with the harassment any longer. Those are numbers I think that would be very difficult to ascertain, but why do you discharge these people and send people like me a letter saying, “If you’re interested in coming back into the military we have increased the retirement so you can stay on until you’re 70?”

WCT: [Stunned] You’re kidding! And never mind that someone like you is world renowned as the spokesperson against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

MC: If you have the military specialties that the military needs, they will allow you to come back in. If you’ve had a driving under the influence [DUI] charge or minor felonies then you now can be blessed to be good enough to serve in the military and be cannon fodder.