WASHINGTON – Top Pentagon officials have given assurances that the U.S. armed forces would implement the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal swiftly and that training need not be instituted throughout the entirety of the military before an end to the gay ban is certified.
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Clifford Stanley and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James Cartwright briefed reporters on Pentagon plans for moving ahead with open service.
“We’re going to try to get to as high a percentage of the units as quickly as we can – and that will be our focus initially – because that’s the way we manage deployments,” Cartwright said. “But it doesn’t require 100 percent of the people, and we’re going to have some challenges with Guard and Reserve that are not on active duty right now, finding them, getting to them, etc.”
Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, said in a statement, “I agree with General Cartwright that all of the troops, from top to bottom, do not need to undergo a comprehensive training and educational program before there is certification. The training and education plan need only be in place. The fact is education and training around open service can be accomplished in the first and second quarter of this year.”
In a statement, Alex Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United, said the speed with which the Pentagon is moving with implementation of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal is “promising.”
Nicholson said, “We will continue to monitor this process and communicate any concerns that arise to the military leadership as the process unfolds, but overall we are pleased with the Pentagon’s good faith effort to move with deliberate speed to end this chapter in our history.”
President Obama signed legislation allowing for Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal on Dec. 22, but the gay ban won’t be off the books until he, the defense secretary and the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify the military is prepared. After certification takes place, an additional 60-day waiting period must pass before gays can serve openly.
Until certification takes place, Stanley said gay service members could still be discharged under current law.
