Army Trains For 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Repeal

WASHINGTON — The Army's top general kicked off the service's training program Thursday on the new law allowing gays to serve openly in the military, and officials said they hope to have the whole force trained by mid-August.

The largest of the service branches, the Army plans to finish training the active duty force of 565,000 by mid-July and the 567,000 members of the Guard and Reserve by mid-August, officials said.

Gen. George Casey launched the effort with a slide presentation in the Pentagon for most of service's dozen four-star generals.

Mainly due to its size, the Army is scheduled to take longer to complete the training than the smaller services. The Defense Department has given the services a lot of leeway in determining how they conduct the training and on what schedule.

The Marines said their instruction officially began Feb. 7. Some commanders, chaplains, recruiters and military police have received training and officials expect to complete the entire force by the end of May.

Marine Maj. Gen. Richard Mills, commander of U.S. forces in southern Afghanistan, said Marines coming off the battlefield will undergo formal classes, discussion groups and extensive training to make sure each individual understands the new rules. Speaking to reporters by video conference, he said most troops in Afghanistan will begin their training while still deployed, but those who cannot for some reason will attend sessions at U.S. bases.

The Air Force said it began training its experts such as chaplains and lawyers this week. And, the Navy has begun the instruction of its training teams and hopes to complete training the whole force by the end of June.

President Barack Obama in late December signed the law to repeal the 17-year-old "don't ask don't tell" policy under which soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines were required to keep their homosexuality a secret or face dismissal.

Final implementation of the repeal does not go into effect until 60 days after the president, defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that lifting the ban won't hurt the military's ability to fight.

Part of their decision will be based on the progress of the training.

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Associated Press writer Julie Watson at Camp Pendleton, Calif., contributed to this report.

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Comments

[ChiGuy]

11:56 AM on 02/18/2011

The fact that military leaders feel the need to have to train people to treat others with dignity is sad enough. But the fact that there are actually people who need said training is even worse.

[lowery2008]

01:18 PM on 02/18/2011

More than just the military can use said training.

[Hank26]

11:39 AM on 02/18/2011

What? Train them the alternative ways to get a bar of soap off the shower floor? How they now have to wear a robe while in the bathroom? How to avoid slapping another soldier on the behind? How to sleep with baggy flannel pj's on? How to not flex their shirtless pecs in the presence of other soldiers?

[DCmykl]

11:53 AM on 02/18/2011

Only if they're latent homosexuals. If they're heterosexuals they shouldn't need any of that.

[jerry23]

11:26 AM on 02/18/2011

From what has been reported recently, the Military doesn't have a clear policy in holding accountable the actions of those who have committed Heterosexual sexual assault. So I guess playing it by ear and taking the road of least resistance will win.

[Marnie1]

11:18 AM on 02/18/2011

The military has seen the repeal of DADT coming for years and has had ample time to prepare and train.
This is just another stall, and there will be another and another. Betchah a year after its repeal the military will still be playing search and destroy the gays.

The military is now braking the law, still discriminating against presumed homosexuals. Why should they be allowed to get away with this?
One answer is the wussy CIC who won't give the order to implement, now.

[taddles]

11:45 AM on 02/18/2011

The military no more planned to train for repeal of DADT than they planned to train for repeal of segregation. Why would you spend time and money implementing contingency plans for something that hasn't come about yet.

DADT is gone, the military is implementing that change, it will take time, that's how they roll. Betcha they stopped playing "search and destroy the gays" the moment the legislation was passed.

The military is not breaking any law that's simply not true. No one is being discharged for being gay any more. You're foolish attack on Obama says more about you than it does about him.

[GabeSmall]

11:15 AM on 02/18/2011

I don't understand the complaints about this. There's a new policy. They are communicating it through the chain of command, after which there should be no questions about what the new policy means. Once the training is complete, no one should have to ask things like: "Does this mean I have to shower with gays?"

[Waltereg0]

03:51 PM on 02/18/2011

Are openly gay servicemen going to be using the showers at the same time as the rest?

[GabeSmall]

04:44 PM on 02/18/2011

I don't know what the policies are down to that level. Neither does most everyone else. That's why they have to do a training.

[xenas mom]

07:11 PM on 02/18/2011

No, they just send themselves out to be dry cleaned. (to paraphrase Barney Frank)

[Raymond Strand]

11:11 AM on 02/18/2011

Ah people who have no understanding of how things work in large organizations. There are going to be a number of scenarios the Army is training soldiers for that they have never encountered before.

What happens if one soldier accuses another of eying him in the shower, is that Sexual Harassment if so how is it proven? What are the appropriate ways to handle that. Can a Same-Sex partner be considered an Alternate Care Giver to a Soldier's child?

The way the Army works is it all has to be handled by the book. There is a form for everything and a procedure that must be followed. That requires training so the people who manage the soldiers know the proper way to handle it. The implementation requires new doctrine to be written. Training to make sure the doctrine is used to standard.

With over 1 Million employees it's important to make sure everyone understands their rights and responsibilities. That's all this training is going to be laying out and reinforcing.

[Tyler1987]

11:11 AM on 02/18/2011

It surprises me how many people on this thread loathe the military...

[DCmykl]

11:39 AM on 02/18/2011

I surprises me how many people on this thread just like to complain about something and almost anything will do.

[JBaker]

11:54 AM on 02/18/2011

Stop complaining.

[liv2giv]

11:47 AM on 02/18/2011

Please clarify this generality. Say what you have to say.

What people loathe is discrimination, and especially discrimination officially administered by an industrial complex. Polls and studies have shown for a few years now that individuals in the military express less support for DADT than the complex does. It's the complex that has to catch up.

On the other hand, supporting our troops means supporting every man and woman who serves in the military - every one - telling, not telling, asking, not asking. EVERY one.

That's why our little yellow magnetic car ribbons spouting, "Support Our Troops" has only been selective in intent.

[SteveS]

10:57 AM on 02/18/2011

So glad our army is training our troops how to interact with other humans.

[mfrantom]

11:10 AM on 02/18/2011

Oh give me a break. I'm so glad people who have no clue about the Army always have the most opinions about it.

[taddles]

11:20 AM on 02/18/2011

They always have, nothing new here.

[taddles]

10:50 AM on 02/18/2011

Sure seem to be a lot of posts from people who don't understand how the military operates. All of these "why do they need to trained, they should just treat people nice" post are kind of silly. The same question could be asked "why does anyone need to have sexual harassment training"? doesn't everyone know you're not supposed to hit on people at work?

DADT has been repealed, the military is implementing that change in the same methodical manner that it implements all changes. Relax folks, we won this one.

[Stephen Homsey]

11:02 AM on 02/18/2011

FIne but isn't DADT a military policy where gays could be forced out by exposing and "telling of their sexuality". Meaning its focused on the soldiers and the governing body of the military. Whereas sexual harassment is between two individual people, seems that they are completely different. Even then, there's really no reason for this so called training because nothing really changing that will affect these people. John's going to post a photo of his bf and the military brass can't do anything about it. To me it's completely different than "I think Mary is hot and I'm going to tell her that".

Finally, if the military feels the need to make such a big deal about all changes; they've been wasting my money for far too long.

[GabeSmall]

11:18 AM on 02/18/2011

What is more efficient: Explaining what the policy is every time some soldier asks if he can request a new bunk mate, or just explaining it once to everyone upfront?

[taddles]

11:19 AM on 02/18/2011

If you are going to end DADT then you have to let the people in the military know exactly means they can and can't do. They have to told that harassing gays is no longer an option, that gays will not be turned out of the military and that gays are a productive and integral part of the military.

The military does not just assume everyone knows not to treat gays differently, they have to teach people that. Just like they had to teach people what sexual harassment is and what is and what is not tolerated in the military they will have to teach what DADT is and what is and what is not tolerated in treatment of gays.

No clue why you are arguing this issue, the military is implementing the repeal of DADT, but like all things the military does, it will take a bit of time and they will be methodical in their process.

How about instead of attacking the military for the time that it takes to make changes like this you celebrate the fact that you won a historic victory. Take a victory lap, you deserve it.

[GabeSmall]

11:05 AM on 02/18/2011

This.

[taddles]

11:24 AM on 02/18/2011

Thankee.

Spent my time in the big green machine, it's a ponderous enterprise to change direction. Like trying to steer a continent.

[bradenton]

10:49 AM on 02/18/2011

What's the big deal? You mean we have to train our fellow Americans in decency and fairness to others? I guess we as a country are in worse shape than I thought.

[JBaker]

11:14 AM on 02/18/2011

You are correct - this country is in worse shape than we thought.

We do need to train fellow human beings how to react to each other without resorting to violence. That is the history of civilization - learning how to deal with each other. And we clearly need to train politicians how not to lie, bankers not to steal...

[DCmykl]

11:27 AM on 02/18/2011

It might be in worse shape than you thought, not wose than I thought.

[DCmykl]

10:46 AM on 02/18/2011

OMG...now that DADT has been overturned, lets all complain about the military's sensitivity conditioning process. Is it unacceptable to just be happy about something for a change?

[Steve1976]

10:16 AM on 02/18/2011

During training at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina our Company's First Sgt. told us to stay out of the local house of ill repute, the Ralston Hotel on Lady Street. We all appreciated that "training". Thanks for the directions, Top! The Army will always take care of its own.

[KenClay]

10:14 AM on 02/18/2011

people need training to treat people.. wow.... and this cost us how much?

[KenClay]

10:13 AM on 02/18/2011

Accept Us? Oxymoron...

[Hardyman1966]

10:11 AM on 02/18/2011

Only the U.S. government could find a way to make this a big production.

Training on how to deal with people who you already know about, already live with, and already work with.

Fantastic!

[taddles]

10:36 AM on 02/18/2011

Huh, could say exactly the same thing about sexual harassment couldn't you.

[Stephen Homsey]

10:43 AM on 02/18/2011

If someone is going to sexually harrass another person, they'll do it regardless of what a video or a powerpoint says. I've had to watch many of them and most people find them to be nothing for than a waste of time. A homophobic person will be just a homophobic regardless of the training, a racist person just as racist and a bigot just as bigoted. It's unfortunate but true.

[Stephen Homsey]

10:47 AM on 02/18/2011

Also I'm sure their was training on how to properly treat prisoners but that didn't stop Lindy England and others from acting completely irresponsible regardless of the training. Some people will just act our regardless. Those who the training would work on, is already the choir. No one will be converted.

[usmcflir]

10:47 AM on 02/18/2011

It is a lot different working with someone you suspect as being gay than it is to live, sleep, and shower with that person. In the military you do not have much of a choice where you do any of those three things so training is needed to ensure no one reacts rashly in a negative way when people start coming out en masse.