'Don't ask, don't tell' report: Little risk to enlisting gays
The Pentagon's long-awaited report on gays in the military concludes that repealing the 17-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" law would present only a low risk to the armed forces' ability to carry out their mission, and that 70 percent of service members believe it would have little or no effect on their units, according to sources briefed on the report's findings.
According to a survey sent to 400,000 service members, 69 percent of those responding reported that they had served with someone in their unit who they believed to be gay or lesbian. Of those who did, 92 percent stated that their unit's ability to work together was very good, good, or neither good nor poor, according to the sources.
Combat units reported similar responses, with 89 percent of Army combat units and 84 percent of Marine combat units saying they had good or neutral experiences working with gays and lesbians.
At the same time, the report found that 30 percent of those surveyed overall -- and between 40 and 60 percent of the Marine Corps -- either expressed concern or predicted a negative reaction if Congress were to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law, which allows gays and lesbians to serve in the military on the condition that they keep their sexuality a secret.
The Washington Post first reported this month on details of a draft copy of the report.
The Defense Department will formally release the report about 2:30 p.m. ET today, but officials are briefing lawmakers and other stakeholders on the findings in advance. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen and the report's co-authors, Defense Department General Counsel Jeh C. Johnson and Army Gen. Carter F. Ham will brief reporters later today. The quartet will testify Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Johnson and Ham concluded that repeal could bring about some limited and isolated disruptions in the short term, but expressed confidence that the Defense Department could adjust and accommodate changes in the long term, according to the sources.
The U.S. Senate is awaiting publication of the study before moving forward on a defense policy bill that includes language ending "don't ask, don't tell." At least 10 moderate senators have said they will wait to read the report before determining how to vote.
The report's release caps nine months of research by Johnson, Ham and a 66-member team that met with more than 40 groups representing gay and lesbian troops, gay veterans, military spouses and the same-sex partners of closeted gay troops.
Source
According to a survey sent to 400,000 service members, 69 percent of those responding reported that they had served with someone in their unit who they believed to be gay or lesbian. Of those who did, 92 percent stated that their unit's ability to work together was very good, good, or neither good nor poor, according to the sources.
Combat units reported similar responses, with 89 percent of Army combat units and 84 percent of Marine combat units saying they had good or neutral experiences working with gays and lesbians.
At the same time, the report found that 30 percent of those surveyed overall -- and between 40 and 60 percent of the Marine Corps -- either expressed concern or predicted a negative reaction if Congress were to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law, which allows gays and lesbians to serve in the military on the condition that they keep their sexuality a secret.
The Washington Post first reported this month on details of a draft copy of the report.
The Defense Department will formally release the report about 2:30 p.m. ET today, but officials are briefing lawmakers and other stakeholders on the findings in advance. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen and the report's co-authors, Defense Department General Counsel Jeh C. Johnson and Army Gen. Carter F. Ham will brief reporters later today. The quartet will testify Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Johnson and Ham concluded that repeal could bring about some limited and isolated disruptions in the short term, but expressed confidence that the Defense Department could adjust and accommodate changes in the long term, according to the sources.
The U.S. Senate is awaiting publication of the study before moving forward on a defense policy bill that includes language ending "don't ask, don't tell." At least 10 moderate senators have said they will wait to read the report before determining how to vote.
The report's release caps nine months of research by Johnson, Ham and a 66-member team that met with more than 40 groups representing gay and lesbian troops, gay veterans, military spouses and the same-sex partners of closeted gay troops.
Source