A group of prominent military bloggers blasted out a statement Wednesday calling on Congress to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and allow gays to serve openly in the military.
As Ben Smith notes, the increasingly influential milblogger community is hard to pin down politically, but the below statement -- whose signatories represent such major milblogs as the U.S. Naval Institute Blog, Blackfive, Outside the Wire, and Q&O, couldn't be more clear.
"Homosexuals have always served in the US Military, and there have been no real problems caused by that," the statement reads, asserting that "very little will actually change" with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" gone. "The US Military is professional and ready to adapt to the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell without compromising its mission. Echoing Sec. Def. Gates and ADM Mullen, we welcome open and honorable service, regardless of sexual orientation."
Read the full statement:
We consider the US military the greatest institution for good that has ever existed. No other organization has freed more people from oppression, done more humanitarian work or rescued more from natural disasters. We want that to continue.
Today, it appears inevitable to us that the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and law restricting open homosexual behavior from serving will be changed. And yet, very little will actually change. Homosexuals have always served in the US Military, and there have been no real problems caused by that.
The service chiefs are currently studying the impact and consequences of changing the DADT policy, and how to implement it without compromising the morale, order and discipline necessary for the military to function. The study is due to be completed on Dec. 1st. We ask Congress to withhold action until this is finished, but no longer. We urge Congress to listen to the service chiefs and act in accordance with the recommendations of that study.
The US Military is professional and ready to adapt to the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell without compromising its mission. Echoing Sec. Def. Gates and ADM Mullen, we welcome open and honorable service, regardless of sexual orientation.