Open Gays in military - how has it worked out?

[seaeye]

I served in the RN FAA for a few years. I actually went through basic training with a 'gay'. He eventually got the boot for not being up to scratch with his kit and attitude, but before he left he left a letter on another recruit's bed declaring his feelings. He wasn't forced out because he was gay though, he really was a total a**ehole.

On a similar subject, my father finished his RAF career off at a training establishment in the midlands where there were two serving 'out' transexuals. They even went as far as wearing womens uniform and went by their 'female' names.

I'm not against gays being gays, and I understand that some people are born with the wrong bits on the outside. Thing is, if they are that mixed up mentally, should and could they be relied on in high stress situations like say, a war, that the military tend to get involved in?

EDIT: I am talking about transexuals in the last part of my post, just to make it clear.