Homosexuals in the Military: Policies and Practices of Foreign Countries

At the time of publication, Congress was debating the President's proposal to lift the ban on homosexuals in the U.S. armed forces. As part of this debate, Congress expressed an interest in foreign countries' military policies and experiences concerning homosexuals. In response to a request from Senator John Warner, the General Accountability Office performed a review of the policies concerning homosexuals in the militaries of 25 foreign countries, and a more in-depth review of both the policies and practices in four of these countries--Canada, Germany, Israel, and Sweden--which allow homosexuals to serve in the military.