# Will the military take action against Cpl. Matt Sanchez. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 13, 2007, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796 "2007-03-13T21:16:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/1 "2007-03-13T21:16:29Z")
[Link](http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2007/03/jeff-gannon-redux.html) for all of those who missed the story. There is a link to an interview there that leads one to believe that he is attracted to men (he denies being gay though). Anyway, will the military take any action against him for being a former gay porn star/escort? ---
**Author:** ![iano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@iano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iano)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/2 "2007-03-13T21:34:06Z")
See [this](http://www.sptimes.com/2006/02/25/Worldandnation/Seven_paratroopers_ac.shtml). ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/3 "2007-03-13T21:43:51Z")
Whether the military takes action against Sanchez would depend on what his conduct has been during his service. It wouldn’t matter what he did _before_ his service and being gay, all by itself (I know he’s now denying that he’s gay, but who does he think he’s kidding?) is not a bar for service as long as you don’t actually engage in any prohibited sexual activity while you’re in the military. If Sanchez did all his porn and escort activities before he joined the Marines, and if there is no evidence that he has done any dudes since he’s been in the military, there wouldn’t be action against him. He might have a tough time with other Marines, though. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/4 "2007-03-13T21:49:25Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] If Sanchez did all his porn and escort activities before he joined the Marines, and if there is no evidence that he has done any dudes since he’s been in the military, there wouldn’t be action against him. [/QUOTE] Well, so long as he doesn’t [send emails or participate in community theatre](http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/US/story?id=2274124&page=1), but that goes without saying. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/5 "2007-03-13T21:59:27Z")
Am I the only one that find a gay porn star named “Sanchez” hilarious? That dirty Sanchez! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/6 "2007-03-13T22:12:33Z")
> [@](#): > > As a member of the IRR, Sanchez falls under the authority of Marine Corps Mobilization Command in Kansas City, Mo., where the commanding general’s staff judge advocate, Lt. Col. Michael Blessing, has begun an inquiry into the revelations about his past, according to command spokesman Shane Darbonne. > > “We’re looking into it and we’re going to verify facts and determine if any further action is warranted,” Darbonne said. [http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/03/mcsanchez070309/](http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/03/mcsanchez070309/) ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/7 "2007-03-13T22:35:18Z")
From the above link: > [@](#): > > officials at Marine Forces Reserve in New Orleans were unable to confirm if Reserve Marines were prohibited from doing porn when not in a \*\*drilling \*\*status. That line gave my inner 12-year-old a good chuckle. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/8 "2007-03-13T23:00:30Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] It wouldn’t matter what he did _before_ his service and being gay, all by itself (I know he’s now denying that he’s gay, but who does he think he’s kidding?) is not a bar for service as long as you don’t actually engage in any prohibited sexual activity while you’re in the military. [/QUOTE] That’s not true. Under the current “don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t pursue” policy, a soldier/sailor/airman can be seperated from the military if he or she reveals he or she is gay, all by itself, even if the soldier doesn’t engage in any prohibited sexual activity. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/9 "2007-03-13T23:07:24Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] That’s not true. Under the current “don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t pursue” policy, a soldier/sailor/airman can be seperated from the military if he or she reveals he or she is gay, all by itself, even if the soldier doesn’t engage in any prohibited sexual activity. [/QUOTE] But he hasn’t admitted to being gay. He _denies_ that he’s gay. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2007, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/10 "2007-03-13T23:40:14Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] But he hasn’t admitted to being gay. He _denies_ that he’s gay. [/QUOTE] Yes, but the fact that he participated in the making of gay porn videos introduces the presumption that he “has a propensity to engage in homosexual conduct”, which is a bar to service. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/11 "2007-03-14T00:24:30Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] Yes, but the fact that he participated in the making of gay porn videos introduces the presumption that he “has a propensity to engage in homosexual conduct”, which is a bar to service. [/QUOTE] Not to mention that if he’ll hug Ann Coulter then there’s nothing physical he won’t try. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/12 "2007-03-14T00:31:22Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] Yes, but the fact that he participated in the making of gay porn videos introduces the presumption that he “has a propensity to engage in homosexual conduct”, which is a bar to service. [/QUOTE] Again he didn’t make those videos while in the military. He hasn’t had sex (or so he claims) with another male while in the military. He hasn’t actually done anything _while in the military_ to “lead to presumption that he has a propensity to engage in homosexual conduct”. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/13 "2007-03-14T06:47:11Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Amazing] Yes, but the fact that he participated in the making of gay porn videos introduces the presumption that he “has a propensity to engage in homosexual conduct”, which is a bar to service. [/QUOTE] Actually, he has a propensity to engage in _simulated_ homosexual conduct. What he was _actually_ doing was making some extra money in a day job. Does the military ever say “I am the Lord thy Job, thou shalt have no other Jobs while you hold Me?” ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/14 "2007-03-14T08:11:35Z")
[From this article on the subject](http://www.slate.com/id/2161764/pagenum/all/): > [@](#): > > While the military insists its policy is based on gay behavior and not innate status, the law defines homosexual conduct to include a statement of status, even if made by a third party. When the Pentagon learns of “credible evidence” that a service member is gay, whether or not he has ever had sex with anyone, an investigation is mandated. This means if a service member is outed by his chaplain, his doctor, or his mother (all of which have happened) and is investigated, the service member can be fired if investigators learn that, 10 years earlier, he uttered the words, “my boyfriend walked his dog.” The courts regard such a statement to be homosexual conduct. Most Americans, however, probably do not consider it sexual conduct of any kind. > > [snip] > > That’s why it bars “persons who demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage” in homosexual conduct, even if they don’t do so, and why it includes a notorious “queen for a day” exception exempting from discharge those who engage in homosexual acts if the behavior is considered “a departure from the member’s usual and customary behavior,” i.e., people who are straight! The only gay and lesbian service members who are not banned from the military are silent gay virgins. So it appears I was incorrect. Of course, discussion of this matter at all hurts the war effort: > [@](#): > > [In a February letter to Sen. Ron Wyden](http://www.slate.com/id/2161761/), Undersecretary of Defense David Chu said that a “national debate” on lifting the gay ban, “with the accompanying divisiveness and turbulence across our country, will compound the burden of the war.” As a result of this conclusion, he “question[s] the wisdom of advocating a change.” One wonders what they think about discussion of Walter Reed. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/15 "2007-03-14T09:42:46Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] Does the military ever say “I am the Lord thy Job, thou shalt have no other Jobs while you hold Me?” [/QUOTE] Yes, to the best of my knowledge. While an active member of the military, you’re considered to be working for the military 24/7, which would preclude having another job elsewhere. A DI isn’t going to let a recruit leave training early because their shift at McD’s is starting. This is, of course, irrelevant to the matter of Cpl. Sanchez, as the work in question was done before he joined. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/16 "2007-03-14T10:01:34Z")
It doesn’t actually preclude having another job; it requires one to get permission to have another job. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/17 "2007-03-14T10:58:54Z")
Interesting. Is it even remotely possible to get permission for anything resembling a steady job, or is it mainly for temporary things like, say, appearing in a film? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/18 "2007-03-14T11:48:01Z")
Both. The funny thing, though, is that Service-members tend to transfer. If one’s in the Navy and homesteaded (rotate between sea and shore assignments at the same base), then you have a far better chance of hanging onto a steady extra job. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/19 "2007-03-14T12:37:26Z")
[QUOTE=Monty] It doesn’t actually preclude having another job; it requires one to get permission to have another job. [/QUOTE] The person in question is a Reserve Marine; they _all_ have other jobs. (Again, not that this was his other job during his Marine stint.) ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-military-take-action-against-cpl-matt-sanchez/395796/20 "2007-03-14T23:14:46Z")
Reservists not on active duty don’t require permission to have other jobs (obviously).