Gates Will Relax 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Enforcement This Week

Spencer Ackerman:

When the Pentagon's leadership announced a process to end the military's ban on open gay service before Congress, Defense Secretary Robert Gates played the cautionary role. Gates told senators that he would put together a study group, led by Army Lt. Gen. Carter Ham and Pentagon general counsel Jeh Johnson, to study the least-disruptive ways to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

...

"He will announce changes to the way the current law is being enforced that make it more difficult to begin investigations and kick people out," said a defense source who would not speak for the record ahead of Gates's announcement.

Read the whole story: Spencer Ackerman

Comments

[tekjensen]

02:38 PM on 03/25/2010

They do need to get their butts in gear. They need to understand as soldiers we spend almost 24 hours a day 7 days a week with each other. In my unit we knew at least a few gay soldiers we we're serving with and we we're an infantry unit. They got treated just like any other straight soldier and we never had problems. They need to talk to the lower enlisted soldiers instead of these high ranking officers that get their butts kiss all the time and have little idea how things actually are.

On the other hand there have been some major issues. One incident that happened about 6 months before I got to Fort Campbell involved two soldiers that beat a gay soldier to death with a baseball bat. That was over ten years ago.

Another thing I haven't noticed being talked about is how many straight soldiers use don't ask don't tell to get out. It was a well know fact around base that if you wanted to get out of the Army, the best way and fastest way to do that was to go to someone in your chain of command and tell them your gay. After that, you'd be gone in a few weeks. We had married soldiers doing this.

[Steamboater]

07:44 PM on 03/24/2010

Stopping investigations based on third parties isn't news. This has already been reported. Suspend the damned thing and stop all investigations and let those who want to serve their country serve.

[Bitsko]

07:48 PM on 03/24/2010

At long last, that seems to be what's happening.

[Duppy]

07:44 PM on 03/24/2010

If the GOPs do not like this, I am happy to help them with their airline tickets so they can join Rush in Costa Rica.

[MIKEBC]

05:34 PM on 03/24/2010

If the GOP doesn't like this then it must be good for our country, see that neocons, not everyone thinks like you do!

[zabbadu]

05:30 PM on 03/24/2010

May I suggest an outing then? Let's just see how relaxed the laws really will be with a mass outing.

[obtusegoose]

08:29 PM on 03/24/2010

I really like that idea. If every gay military personnel came out on the same day, there is no way they would be able to deal with 60,000 dismissals. Considering that gay tax-paying citizens are being discriminated against, I think April 15th would make a great day to do this.

[212garrett]

05:24 PM on 03/24/2010

A little off topic, but related news from this morning about what the health care law means for gay people (it's not good news)...

http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/24/gays-still-pay-more-in-health-care-bil/

[LittleMittens]

05:20 PM on 03/24/2010

Eff your 'relaxed' it's time to repeal it!

[lisakaz2]

05:19 PM on 03/24/2010

This reminds me: what's the latest on Lt. Choi? Did he get released without charge? Did he get removed from training with his unit?

[Steamboater]

07:47 PM on 03/24/2010

This very limnited change isn't going to help Choi as long as DADT is still not even suspended with a Stop/Loss order or any of the others who've been thrown out of the military. More commissions .... more talk while DADT has been talkeed to death.

[lisakaz2]

08:05 PM on 03/24/2010

That's not my question. Choi chained himself to the WH fence and I wanted to know what repercussions came from it so far.

[Guytar]

05:18 PM on 03/24/2010

Soldiers, sailors and marines serve their country with no limit. Forget about don't ask and don't tell. Thousands of homos have died in combat while trying to save and protect their straight brothers and sisters. Combat soldiers, sailors and marines have always known this.

[Guytar]

05:45 PM on 03/24/2010

Medics, nurses and doctors too.

[tekjensen]

05:00 PM on 03/24/2010

Truman issued an executive order for the desegregation of the military before legislation was enacted. Then again he waited for a committee report before doing so but we should all know by now that discrimination is wrong and should act faster to end it.

[Rand]

10:04 AM on 03/25/2010

Racial discrimination in the military was based on DoD regulations, not federal law

A president can't countermand federal law with an executive order

In this particular case I wish that he could, but there's this thing called "The Constitution of the United States of America"

I don't want to see THIS president ignore it the way the previous president did

[tekjensen]

02:37 PM on 03/25/2010

Good point. They do need to get their butts in gear, though. They need to understand as soldiers we spend almost 24 hours a day 7 days a week with each other. In my unit we knew at least a few gay soldiers we we're serving with and we we're an infantry unit. They got treated just like any other straight soldier and we never had problems. They need to talk to the lower enlisted soldiers instead of these high ranking officers that get their butts kiss all the time and have little idea how things actually are.

On the other hand there have been some major issues. One incident that happened about 6 months before I got to Fort Campbell involved two soldiers that beat a gay soldier to death with a baseball bat. That was over ten years ago.

Another thing I haven't noticed being talked about is how many straight soldiers use don't ask don't tell to get out. It was a well know fact around base that if you wanted to get out of the Army, the best way and fastest way to do that was to go to someone in your chain of command and tell them your gay. After that, you'd be gone in a few weeks. We had married soldiers doing this.

[maudefrickert]

07:40 PM on 03/25/2010

I feel like a bit of an intruder on a private conversation here, but I just have to say that I found the exchange between you two (tek and rand) extremely interesting and informative, so THANKS YOUSE MUGS.

[yungstar]

04:52 PM on 03/24/2010

Did anybody hear Mitt Romney's response last night when asked by Larry King whether or not Don't Ask Don't Tell should be repealed? This dude said that to end it now could negatively impact the war and that it should be addressed after the war is over. ARE U SERIOUS?! Not only that, but he had the nerve to brag about the state healthcare legislation he helped pass in Massachusetts thats almost bankrupt! Why do Repubs label this guy as an intellectualist?

check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPvdUxmkgpc

[Peter Danbridge]

05:04 PM on 03/24/2010

I'm from Massachusetts and I assure you, Mitt Romney is among the most intellectually dishonest and self-serving politicians there is.

[BandsofBlack]

05:16 PM on 03/24/2010

To me he epitomizes the word 'smarmy'.

[BandsofBlack]

05:14 PM on 03/24/2010

War? What war? We're occupying a few countries, but we're not at war.

So I guess he means it should be repealed NOW.

Mission accomplished!

[BonzaSheila]

04:47 PM on 03/24/2010

Way too little. Way too late. Sigh.

[GrrlCanada]

06:20 PM on 03/24/2010

I may agree on the too little but how is it too late? Unless all Americans are dead, I don't know how it is too late.

[Capibara]

04:42 PM on 03/24/2010

How about a common sense approach to repealing DADT? Role Reversal.

For years homosexuals were discharged for living out in the open, give those who are not willing to fight alongside their homosexual countrymen a free pass to head for the door. The ones who want to keep getting a paycheck will stick around. I'm certain the number of gays hanging around recruiting offices chomping at the bit to serve will offset the number of 'outed' anti-gays.

[BandsofBlack]

04:50 PM on 03/24/2010

I think that's a great idea. Make them put their money where their mouths are.

[SPQR1052]

04:35 PM on 03/24/2010

Hey, I am a DAV veteran and agree with repeal. What I don't agree with is the method the annointed leaders of community attempted to force the presidents hand.... He said he'd do it and I take him on his word.

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My photo and design contributed. ..

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Alwaya willing to help.

[Peter Danbridge]

05:03 PM on 03/24/2010

SPQR1052, you should let people know if your links are going to have either naked or half naked men.

[Dixieboy]

04:19 PM on 03/24/2010

This is such a stupid waste of time. Why do I care if some soldier wants to be a Butt-Pirate. Grab a gun and start shooting.