As an Army linguist, we took our language studies just after BASIC, and before AIT. Before AIT because of the length of time it takes to do the background for the TSSI clearances required to access the materials utilized in AIT. My very expensive basic Russian course was 47-weeks long. Chinese and Arabic even longer. And they were given at the beautiful Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. Just up the hill from Monterey Bay, Steinbeck's Cannery Row, etc. So, I had over a year of time in when I arrived at AIT. Well, just as we undertook the demanding classified studies in varied shifts, a group of 4 or 5 fellow linguists announced they were gay. All at once, which suggested some planning was involved. This was 1985, prior to "don't ask, don't tell." This announcement put the breaks on their forward motion through the system. They all served continual casual duty until I moved on the Fort Devens for additional studies on Electronic Warfare. Don't know what happened to them. Last I saw, they were trimming hedges at Goodfellow AFB, TX. What I do know is that they took advantage of the top-rate language training, and when required to start applying those expensive, tax-payer funded skills, they opted out. And were probably drummed out.
"Wars are, of course, as a rule to be avoided; but they are far better than certain kinds of peace." - T.R.