subject: Don't Ask, Don't Tell Report Is Out [print this page] Don't Ask, Don't Tell Report Is Out Don't Ask, Don't Tell Report Is Out
Dont Ask, Dont Tell Report Is Out
Today, November 30, the US Department of Defense released two documents. One is a report of the results of a survey of members of the US armed services. This survey asked whether or not service personnel think allowing LGBT people to serve openly in the armed services would be disruptive to those services. The second document outlines a proposed way of implementing an end to Dont Ask, Dont Tell (DADT).
The report notes that the survey was sent to almost 400,000 service members and their families, and 215,052 people responded to it. It notes that the Department of Defense made affirmative efforts to reach and get the opinions of present and former gay and lesbian service members. 296 self identified gays or lesbians to part in the survey.
Surveyors also used individual interviews and group discussions among service members, and other methods, to get as much accurate information as possible.
The report states that, "We conclude that, while a repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell will likely, in the short term, bring about some limited and isolated disruption to unit cohesion and retention, we do not believe this disruption will be widespread or long-lasting, and can be adequately addressed by the recommendations we offer".
The report went on to say, "Both the survey results and our own engagement of the force convinced us that when Service members had the actual experience of serving with someone they believe to be gay, in general unit performance was not affected negatively by this added dimension".
One of the most fundamental objections to ending DADT has been that it would prevent unit cohesion and thus impair the militarys ability to complete its mission. One finding in the report directly challenges that assertion. The report notes that, 69% of Service members reported that they had served with a Service member whom they think was a homosexual. Of those, 92% stated that the units "ability to work together" was "very good," "good," or "neither good nor poor." Only 8% of them said that the effect of having a homosexual in the unit was poor or very poor.
Here are some other survey results found in the report:
- 70% of Service members predicted ending DADT would have a positive, mixed, or no effect.
- 74% said the end of DADT would have no effect on their decision on whether or not to re-enlist. Only 12% said it would effect that decision.
- 1520% said repeal would have a positive effect.
- Only 30% of Service members overall expressed some concern about the repeal of DADT. However, 4060% in the Marine Corps and in various combat arms specialties said ending DADT would have a negative impact on the armed services. The report notes that this percentage of negative responses should be taken seriously, but says the plan they propose addresses that issue.
The document proposing a plan for the end of DADT is very comprehensive, (Its 95 pages long). It describes several stages to implementing the change.
- Stage One would begin prior to the enactment of the law to end DADT. In this stage, "the Department of Defense and the Services would continue to review existing policies and issuances affected by repeal, and prepare new or revised issuances based on the recommendations in the report".
If the Secretary of Defense approves these issuances, "The Department of Defense and the Services would also develop education and training materials and communications plans that would be used in the implementation stage".
- Stage Two, the implementation stage, would begin once Congress passes legislation ending the DADT policy. Once that happens, "Education and training programs necessary to prepare
the force for repeal and to communicate the upcoming policy changes would be
executed". And "Upon the effective date of repeal, the Department of Defense and the Services
would put any new or revised policies into effect".
- Stage Three would be the "sustaining stage". In this stage, followup would be done in order to monitor implementation and make adjustments to the policy as needed.
The plan describes, in great detail, what would be done in each of the above stages.
These two documents provide a giant step forward towards the goal of ending the Dont Ask, Dont tell policy. Unfortunately, it all hinges on Congress ending the policy. And that seems to be a dim prospect in the near future with Republicans taking over the house of Representatives and conservative and moderate Democrats, in the US Senate, opposing a change in the policy.
Court action may be the only hope of overturning the policy in the near future.
You may see copies of the two documents discussed here by clicking on the following link, and then clicking on the links at the bottom of the web based version of this article.
Here is the link to get you started: http://calcomui.org/nwsflsh113010.html
