Character and conduct are important pillars within the U.S. military. The morale, focus, and discipline of our Armed Forces are critical to the defense of our nation, and holding service members to a higher standard than civilians is a critical part of ensuring that our military remains the best in the world.

That’s why adultery, for example, can lead to a dishonorable discharge and the loss of benefits.

There is a range of other offenses within Article 134 of the Manual for Courts-Martial that open the door for conviction, such as gambling with a subordinate, inappropriate language, or sexual relations of any kind between unmarried people.

Of course, none of that matters anymore when it comes to gays and lesbians in the military. They’re allowed to engage in sex acts with the full protection of the government.

Recently, Joe Biden announced pardons for thousands of veterans convicted under military law, allowing them to clear their records and recover lost financial benefits. As the president posted on X, “I am righting an historic wrong by using my clemency authority to pardon many former service members who were convicted simply for being themselves.”

Biden’s statement couldn’t be more disconnected from reality.

The gay service members were not convicted for “being themselves.” The military code doesn’t prohibit anyone from being gay or heterosexual. Even long before “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the military code prohibited sexual activity that is detrimental to the mission of the Armed Forces. That’s why they were convicted, not for “being themselves.”

Biden added, “Despite their courage and sacrifice, thousands of LGBTQI+ service members were forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Again, that’s akin to claiming soldiers who committed adultery, got drunk on base, or failed to keep a good credit score were kicked out of the Armed Forces for being themselves. Yet this happens all the time to members of the military who are straight but who engage in activities such as adultery or bigamy involving other persons who may not even be serving in the military. Even a man and a woman cohabitating while making it seem as though they are married can result in a court martial.

But when it comes to gay sex, the new woke military is hands-off. In other words, homosexuals are a celebrated and protected class not subject to the same rules as everyone else.

Back in 2013, the military removed the offense of gay sex that had fallen under article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

The Washington Post reports, “The pardon primarily applies to those who were convicted in military court of sodomy between 1951 and 2013, when consensual sodomy was repealed as a military offense,” something “gay rights advocates have long sought to strike from the military’s laws governing service members’ behavior.”

This is what equity and diversity really mean in the modern Armed Forces. They’re about creating special rights for one group or segment of society and making sure they don’t have to play by the rules.

The bigger question here, of course, is what this has to do with the military’s mission. Shouldn’t our main objective be a unified, focused, disciplined fighting force ready to defend our country and our Constitution?

It should, and that’s why various types of conduct are prohibited. It really doesn’t have to do as much with religion or morals as much as the detrimental effect these behaviors have on decision-making, loyalty, and discipline. Yet any conduct that doesn’t maintain high moral standards is subject to scrutiny and punishment.

Who can forget the David Petraeus scandal? Engaging in an affair with your mistress and biographer and providing her with classified information while you’re commanding U.S. forces in Afghanistan is a problem, and for good reason.

Was David Petraeus being himself? He certainly was, but his conduct had a serious and damaging impact on the military’s mission.

If a general having an affair with the wife of an enlisted soldier can complicate matters and erode the discipline, morale, and focus of the Armed Forces, then so too can sexual relations between two male or two female soldiers. If a service member’s character can be called into question for not paying bills, getting drunk, or using inappropriate language, then certainly homosexual relations can do the same.

That’s why the military standard is even higher than what we find in the civilian world. The stakes are much higher, requiring individuals and units to work without distraction.

We’ve come a long way in establishing special rights and privileges for gay service members since the days of Bill Clinton, who signed the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy into law in 1993. At least then, there were still prohibitions across the board for inappropriate sexual relations for gay and straight personnel.

Sadly, it seems that the American military has lost touch with its mission. Being woke is clearly more important to the Left than being ready for war. Let’s hope a new administration can right the ship and restore the integrity, focus, and morale of a military that’s rolling out the red carpet to the Rainbow Mafia and emboldening our enemies abroad.