Florida Agenda

By Cliff Dunn

Photo: PRESIDENT TAFT (LEFT), ARCHIBALD BUTT (RIGHT)

This weekend, Leonardo Di Caprio fans—not all of them teenage girls—and history buffs alike will mark the centennial anniversary of one of the most widely-known and depicted disasters in modern history, the sinking of RMS Titanic.

I enjoyed the 1997 James Cameron film: I thought that it succeeded in capturing the gargantuan size of the “unsinkable” ocean liner and was able to convey that sense of dread and insignificance that must have been experienced in their final minutes by those unfortunate 1,514 souls who lost their lives in the disaster. The movie also did an admirable job of depicting the Edwardian Era conspicuous consumption that was represented by the ship’s luxurious amenities (and by the presence on the passenger list of such Gilded Age titans as J.J. Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim, and Macy’s owner Isidor Straus, all of whom died in the tragedy).

Although he cast Academy Award winner Kathy Bates in the role of the “Unsinkable” Molly Brown, a millionaire women’s rights advocate and one of that era’s most colorful figures, Cameron did not fill the role of two of the most interesting period luminaries aboard the Titanic: One of these was Maj. Archibald Butt, who served as a presidential aide in a capacity that would roughly equate to National Security Advisor in the job’s modern sense. The other was Butt’s longtime partner, artist Francis (“Frank”) Millet.

Butt, who was 47 years old when the Titanic sank, had been a news correspondent before embarking upon a military career that took him to war zones in Cuba and the Philippines. His military service brought him to the attention of President Theodore Roosevelt, who promoted Butt to the Army rank of major and assigned him as military adviser and aide-de-camp, a position to which he was reappointed by Roosevelt’s successor, President William Howard Taft. Butt and Millet—who was 19 years older than his partner—had gone to Europe for some R&R after a bitter public political split between Roosevelt and Taft began to take its toll on the loyal aide.

As the ocean liner began its slow death in the early hours of April 15, 1912, Butt was witnessed escorting female passengers to the lifeboats and conducting himself— as described by one woman whose life he saved—with gentlemanly care and concern for the safety of all around him.

When the final lifeboat was adrift, the Spanish American War veteran was seen standing on deck. No one recalled seeing Millet at the end (although it was Millet’s remains and not Butt’s that were recovered after the ship sank).

Millet, a Harvard graduate who had served as a surgical assistant for the Union during the Civil War and was an international war correspondent before becoming a painter, was described by his friend, novelist Henry James, as “magnificent,” “manly,” and “irradiating beautiful gallantry,” and by his partner, Butt, as “Millet, my artist friend who lives with me.” The couple lived together in a relationship that was more-or-less an open secret, holding famous Washington, DC parties that were attended by cabinet members, Supreme Court justices, military leaders, ambassadors, and President Taft himself. “People come early to my house and always stay late and seem merry while they are here,” wrote Butt after one successful party.

This being just a few years after the sexual hypocrisy of the Victorian Age, Butt and Millet’s “friendship” was viewed through the prism of an early version of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, with Washington society accepting the men’s mutual affection while not digging too deeply into the details. The two men left together in March 1912, bound for Europe on board the steamship Berlin. They returned to America together, as well, and although the passenger list records that they had separate cabins on the Titanic, it probably had something to do with the luggage and volume of gifts and accessories they had acquired while overseas: Butt alone boarded the ship with seven steamer trunks filled with clothes and items he had purchased in Europe. 1912 or 2012: some things never change.

President Taft was said to weep when he learned of Butt’s death, and he joined most of official Washington in grieving for his adjutant. Wrote one period journalist: “The name of Maj. Archie Butt, once synonymous of laughter and jest, now symbolic of heroism, was repeated while eyes blurred and voices became queerly strained.”

Several monuments and memorials were built in memory of Maj. Archibald Butt. One is a plaque in the Washington National Cathedral (which, through a quirk of modern architecture, is located upon a wall in the gift shop). Another is a memorial fountain erected in the Ellipsis area of the President’s Park in Washington, DC named after both men, the Butt-Millet Fountain.

Because Butt’s remains were lost at sea, a cenotaph (or empty tomb) was built in Arlington National Cemetery to honor the late presidential aide. A memorial service was held in the Butt family home in Georgia on May 2, 1912. It was attended by 1,500 mourners, including President Taft, who said:

“If Archie could have selected a time to die, he would have chosen the one God gave him. His life was spent in self– sacrifice, serving others. His forgetfulness of self had become a part of his nature. Everybody who knew him called him ‘Archie.’ I couldn’t prepare anything in advance to say here. I tried, but couldn’t. He was too near me. He was loyal to my predecessor, Mr. Roosevelt, who selected him to be military aide, and to me he had become as a son or a brother.”

There’s a film I would love to watch.

By James Michaels

At 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, September 20, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) was no longer the law of the land in the United States allowing lesbians and gays to serve openly in the United States military.

Last ditch efforts by the Republican Party to detain the repeal of DADT due to “paper work problems” failed to stop the repeal of the act that the U.S. Congress passed,in a lame duck session last November. It was signed into law by President Obama immediately prior to their December recess.

President Obama issued a statement early Tuesday morning concerning the repeal of DADT:

“Today, the discriminatory law known as ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is finally and formally repealed.

As of today, patriotic Americans in uniform will no longer have to lie about who they are in order to serve the country they love. As of today, our armed forces will no longer lose the extraordinary skills and combat experience of so many gay and lesbian service members. And today, as Commander in Chief, I want those who were discharged under this law to know that your country deeply values your service.

“I was proud to sign the Repeal Act into law last December because I knew that it would enhance our national security, increase our military readiness, and bring us closer to the principles of equality and fairness that define us as Americans. Today’s achievement is a tribute to all the patriots who fought and marched for change; to Members of Congress, from both parties, who voted for repeal; to our civilian and military leaders who ensured a smooth transition; and to the professionalism of our men and women in uniform who showed that they were ready to move forward together, as one team, to meet the missions we ask of them.

“For more than two centuries, we have worked to extend America’s promise to all our citizens.  Our armed forces have been both a mirror and a catalyst of that progress, and our troops, including gays and lesbians, have given their lives to defend the freedoms and liberties that we cherish as Americans.  Today, every American can be proud that we have taken another great step toward keeping our military the finest in the world and toward fulfilling our nation’s founding ideals.”

Immediately following the official repeal, several events happened in the United States:

Navy Lt. Gary Ross married his partner of 11 years, Dan Swezy, in Duxbury, Vermont, at the stroke of midnight just as the military’s ban on gays in the military was officially repealed. Vermont was chosen by the couple because it was in the eastern time zone and the couple would be able to recite their vows in front of family and friends at the first popular moment. The couple traveled to Vermont from their home in Arizona. Vermont was also the first state to allow gays to enter into civil unions and one of six that have legalized same-sex marriage.

For months, a faceless and nameless U.S. Air Force member stationed in Germany had been posting YouTube videos for months explaining what it was like living under DADT. At 2:45 a.m. in Germany, 7:45 CT, he produced a new video and posted it on YouTube, showing his face for the first time as he called his father in Alabama explaining he was gay. After telling his father of his sexuality, his father made it clear that he still loves him. “I called my dad to tell him the hardest thing that gay guys will ever have to say.” The serviceman still has not released his name but he goes by the YouTube identity of “AreYouSuprised?”

At midnight, HBO premiered a documentary, “The Strange History of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The cable network described the show as a timely and historical look at gays and lesbians in the military that illustrates the tumultuous evolution of the controversial policy that fostered hate and intolerance within the military and undermined the very freedoms American military defend by forcing its soldiers to lie and live in secrecy.

The U.S. Military sent out a letter to all U.S. soldiers throughout the world formally announcing that DADT was over:

“Today marks the end of ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.’ The law is repealed. From this day forward, gay and lesbian soldiers may serve in our Army with the dignity and respect they deserve. Our rules, regulations and politics reflect the repeal guidance issued by the Department of Defense and will apply uniformly without regard to sexual orientation, which is a personal and private matter.

“For over 236 years, the U.S. Army has been an extraordinary force for good in the world. Our soldiers are the most agile, adaptable and capable warriors in history — and we are ready for this change…

“Accordingly, we expect all personnel to follow our values by implementing the repeal fully, fairly and in accordance with policy guidance. It is the duty of all personnel to treat each other with dignity and respect, while maintaining good order and discipline throughout our ranks. Doing so, will help the U.S. Army remain the Strength of the Nation.”

The military also immediately started accepting applications from lesbians and gays. Prior to lifting of DADT, the military spent months updating regulations. Lifting the ban also brought a halt to any and all on-going investigations and discharges that were pending under the old law.

Existing standards of personal conduct, such as those pertaining to public displays of affection, will continue regardless of sexual orientation. There will be no immediate changes to eligibility for military benefits. All service members are already entitled to certain benefits, such as designating a partner as a life insurance beneficiary or as a caregiver.

The Navy had proposed training chaplains to conduct same-sex civil union on bases located in states where same-sex marriage is permitted. After more than five-dozen lawmakers objected, however, the plan was shelved until the Pentagon completes a review of the issue.

Alex Vaughn

This past Tuesday marked the end of the 18-year-long policy – “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The policy was introduced  as a compromise measure in 1993 by President Bill Clinton who campaigned on the promise to allow all citizens to serve in the military regardless of sexual orientation. Since that time, many have fought for its repeal.

Leading the assault on DADT, as it became known, were groups pushing to end the “undesirable” tag that labeled known homosexuals in the military.

As the change finally becomes official, there seems to be little fanfare. No planned celebrations at the White House. No street parties like those in NYC as a result of the passing of gay marriage laws. Perhaps this is simply because no one really wants to draw light to the fact that it has taken this long to end a law that has caused such distress, and instilled in our culture the word “shame” being associated with military service.

The extent of that shame is further illustrated by the fact that many of the 100,000  “undesirable” former members of the military have come forward to ask that their discharge papers be changed to “honorable.” The Navy has already taken a step in the right direction, reaching out at last to Melvin Dwork, who was expelled from the Navy in 1944, in the middle of World War II, after his own boyfriend in the service reported him. He is now 89.

Last month, the one-time corpsman was notified that the “undesirable” discharge on his military record would finally be changed to “honorable.” Dwork says that because of his “undesirable” discharge, he was unable to draw GI benefits and is now in need of an expensive hearing aid that he might be able to afford if he got the pension he deserved. The Navy has said his benefits will be reinstated retroactively, although it’s not clear whether Dwork will receive back pay for the last 67 years. It would be the right thing to do. But can the US even afford such actions? Probably not.

In a September 12 letter, Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, and Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), chairman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee, urged the Department of Defense to delay proceedings because of “unresolved paperwork problems.” They didn’t succeed and they won’t, because this battle has been won, and for Republicans, it is time to retreat.

Any further attempt to overturn the end of DADT will only serve to highlight the movement, and cause light to be shone on something that should go away quietly. Why celebrate an error in U.S. history? Rather, as more and more “undesireables” come forward, their stories and anecdotes will allow the nation and the world to put a personal face on this victory for the many service members who can finally be recognized for their service to this country. These people are the reason to celebrate.

Ultimately, the end of DADT will go down in history. Unlike Stonewall, however, it won’t highlight the fights, protests or shame. If anything, it will highlight the good of the US government system: how one president (Clinton) made steps at reform and how another (Obama) took the baton to the finish line. Is this a very hallmark view? Yes, absolutely. I studied American History! While we may lament the decades it took to implement change, the important thing to note is that, in the end, change happened.

Quietly, yet with determination, the military is changing its policies and retraining its personnel. While this is not something being publicized, it is a task of necessity and is being done as the military executes many of its missions, with dignity and very little fanfare.
Yet, the fight is not over. Equal rights for all is the aim of this game, not just in the military, but across the board – in marriage, the workplace, schools and universities. Discrimination affects everyone, and while it continues to exist, there is no cause for real celebration.

Whilst researching this piece, something else came to mind. I suspect another reason for the quiet acceptance of this historical event is the continuing bigotry within the community. Many people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender still question whether gays should actually be allowed into the military.

There was an article in the Florida Agenda before I became its editor about perceptions of the community towards stereotypical gay men and women within certain job roles and the reality of whether the community would even accept them – let alone society as a whole. For instance, would you hire an overly effeminate lawyer to defend you in court? Would you hire a masculine woman to groom you? Like it or not, prejudice towards capability is as rife within the community as it is outside of it.

That said, go further and ask yourself whether you have thought what so many others do, and have yet to say? What do I mean? Well, military porn, hot sailors, the gay old Navy. You with me yet? Do you want a man in the military who is concentrating more on the package or emotions of his bunk buddy over his desire to protect his country? Remember the parodies of gays in the military where there is one guy who claims he can’t shoot the enemy, because he is too cute? Granted, that is extreme, but the thought is there.

Could you actually stand up against a movement with that as an excuse? Well, it has been one since WWI!

So perhaps the simple reason that there is no fanfare and no big gay parade is because this law that we all know should not be in place is one that we don’t all feel involved in and would rather just let it pass. Yet don’t forget a quiet victory is still a step in the right direction for the big picture of equality for all.

Alex Vaughn is the Editor-in-Chief of the Florida Agenda. He can be reached at editor@FloridaAgenda.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Shultz (FL-22) issued a statement concerning the recent federal appeals court ruling declaring the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy unconstitutional.

“Today, a federal appeals court issued a historic order blocking the U.S. military from enforcing its discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy on gays and lesbians serving in the military. This injunction finally eviscerates the last remnants of a discriminatory, dishonorable policy that will soon be off the books for good.

For too long, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has forced Americans to lie about who they are in order to serve their country. Beginning today, that will no longer be the case.

“I commend President Obama for his steadfast commitment to ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, as well as my House and Senate colleagues who have resolutely stood together to ensure that our service members no longer have to choose between serving their country and living an authentic life. To all of those in our Armed Forces who have had to hide their true identities, thank you for your service to our country. Today, we stand for you as you have stood for America-unwaveringly, and with the utmost pride and respect.”

July 26, 1948 – President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981 establishing “equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the Armed Forces without regard to race, color, religion or national origin.”

May 5, 1950 – Congress passed the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which was signed by President Harry S. Truman and took effect on May 31, 1951. The Code set up discharge rules for homosexual service members.

March 15, 1957 – A Navy study released the Crittenden Report, which stated that “homosexual service members [do] not pose a greater security risk than heterosexual personnel.” However, it added, “Individuals and those who have indulged in homosexual behavior cannot acceptably serve in the military,” but admits that the concept “persists without supporting data, but which cannot be disproved at this time.”

January 28, 1982 – A Defense Directive issued by the Pentagon, stated that “Homosexuality is incompatible with military service” and people who engaged in homosexual acts or stated that they were homosexuals or bisexuals will be discharged.

June 30, 1986 – The Supreme Court rules that there is no fundamental constitutional right for people engaging in homosexual acts. The ruling in the Bowers v. Hardwick case was used to uphold the military’s constitutional right to discharge a person for homosexual behavior.

December 1988 – The Personnel Security Research and Education Center issued two reports examining whether homosexual service members posed security risks or were unsuitable for service. The reports “found no data to support the ban on gays in the military.”

October 1991 – While campaigning for President, Democratic candidate Bill Clinton promises, if elected, to lift the ban on homosexuals serving in the military.

March 19, 1993 – The Senate and House Armed Services Committees hold hearing on the military’s anti-homosexual policy. The generals and admirals that testified were against lifting the ban on gays, stating it would be harmful to national security and the welfare of the military. Secretary of Defense Les Aspin stated that he felt that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (as President Clinton called the compromise) would provide a sensible balance. The hearings continued through July 22, 1993.

May 1993 – In the Senate and House Armed Services Committees hearings, congressional support begins to emerge over the new approach described by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sam Nunn as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT).

November 30, 1993 – President Clinton signs the 1994 National Defense Authorization Act into law, which includes the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

March 16, 2000 – The Defense Department’s Military Environment with Respect to Homosexual Conduct findings. The survey showed that 80% of those that responded had heard offensive anti-gay speech in the previous year and 37% reported witnessing negative behavior towards suspected homosexuals in the military.

August 2003 – Retired Rear Admiral John Hutson, who, as Judge Advocate General of the Navy, had been responsible for enforcing DADT, called for the policy’s repeal. In an article in The National Law Journal, Hutson called the gay ban “odious” and “virtually unworkable in the military.”

February 23, 2005 – In a report released by the Government Accountability Office concerning DADT, the key findings were that during the years 1994 through 2003, the military separated nearly 9,500 service members for homosexual conduct at a cost of $95 million to replace them.

March 2006 – The Supreme Court ruled that the federal government could withhold funding from universities that refuse to permit military recruiters on campus. Some universities forbid the presence of military recruiters because of discrimination against gays in the military.

January 2007 – In an op-ed printed in the New York Times, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General John Shalikashvili, calls for repeal of the ban on gays serving in the military.

February 27, 2007 – A Zogby International poll reveals that 73% of active duty troops are comfortable with the idea of serving with gay people, and one quarter of those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan personally knew someone in their unit who was gay or lesbian. Congressman Marty Meehan targets repeal of DADT and reintroduces the Military Readiness Act. The Act failed to pass Congress.

March 2007 – A commission made up of economists and defense leaders, including former Defense Secretary William Perry, concluded that DADT had now cost taxpayers over $363 million since 1994 to enforce and train replacements.

April 4, 2007 – In response to calls for repeal, President George W. Bush stated, “I do believe the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy is good policy.”

June 13, 2007 – Rep. Ellen Tauscher became the lead sponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, assuming the lead from Rep. Meehan in anticipation of his July retirement from Congress.

July 2007 – A CBS news investigation revealed that 8,000 criminal conviction waivers were issued because the army was so desperate for new recruits. At least 100 of those were waivers for felony violent crime and drug convictions.

October 1, 2007 – Admiral Mike Mullen is installed as the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During his confirmation hearings, he said that he supported the ban on gays serving in the military, but was open to hearing Congress debate it.

November 29, 2007 – Then-Presidential candidate Barack Obama told the Human Rights Campaign: “I will work for a full repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’. That work should have started long ago. It will start when I take office. America is ready to get rid of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy; all that is required is leadership.” Obama campaigns on full repeal of the law.

November 30, 2007 – A letter to Congress urging repeal of DADT is signed by 28 retired admirals and generals.

July 19, 2008 – A Washington Post/ABC News poll revealed that 75% of Americans believe in the repeal of DADT.

December 12, 2008 – In response to a question from Fareed Zarkaria about DADT, former Secretary of State General Colin Powell states: “We definitely should reevaluate it. It’s been fifteen years since we put in ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ which was a policy that became a law. I didn’t want it to become a law, but it became a law. Congress felt that strongly about it. But it’s been fifteen years and attitudes have changed. And so I think it is time for the Congress, since it is their law, to have a full review of it and I am quite sure that is what President-Elect Obama will want to do.”

January 21, 2009 – White House Press Secretary Gibbs states that President Obama will repeal DADT, but adds that there are more important issues to address first, including the economy.

March 3, 2009 – Rep. Ellen Tauscher re-introduces the Military Readiness Enhancement Act to Congress with 112 co-sponsors.

March 19, 2009 – Lt. Dan Choi, a West Point graduate and Iraq veteran fluent in Arabic, announced that he was gay on “The Rachel Maddow Show.” From that point forward, Choi became an activist working for the repeal of DADT.

May 20, 2009 – Air Force Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach, a decorated 18-year fighter weapons systems officer, appears on “The Rachel Maddow Show” to discuss his impending discharge under DADT. Fehrenbach was outed after he was falsely accused of raping a man.

March 29, 2009 – When asked about official efforts to end the ban, Defense Secretary Robert Gates tells Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday”: “I think the President and I feel like we’ve got a lot on our plates right now, and let’s push that one down the road a little bit.”

June 5, 2009 – A Gallup poll reveals 69% of adults favor repeal of DADT, a 6% increase from five years earlier.

June 9, 2009 – Judge Virginia Phillips denies the Justice Department’s attempt to dismiss the Log Cabin Republicans’ lawsuit challenging the DADT policy as unconstitutional.

June 22, 2009 – 77 members of the House of Representatives write an open letter to President Obama calling for the leadership he promised during his campaign to repeal DADT.

June 30, 2009 – Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that Pentagon lawyers are trying to make DADT “more flexible, more humane” until it is eliminated.

July 13, 2009 – On CNN, President Obama admits he could sign an executive order freezing discharges under DADT by Executive “stop loss” power, but admits he has chosen not to do so, stating it is Congress’s responsibility to change the law.

October 12, 2009 – On CNN, Rep. Joe Sestak, a retired Navy Vice Admiral, stated: “We should have done away with ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ years ago.

October 18, 2009 – Rep. Duncan Hunter, Jr., a U.S. Marine Corp veteran, “For one, it would directly impact readiness and operability, a concern that is shared by more than 1,000 retired officers.”

November 24, 2009 – Federal District Court Judge Virginia Philips denies the Obama Justice Department’s motion to stay proceedings and block the Log Cabin Republicans’ challenge to DADT.

December 16, 2009 – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has instructed her fellow Democrats to not take up any “controversial” legislation unless the Senate acts on it first. This included a repeal of DADT.

January 14, 2010 – Advisers to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen advise him to push for a delay in the start of the repeal of DADT, suggesting that the Pentagon should wait until late summer 2011 to send a proposed replacement law to Congress expecting that a vote on DADT repeal would not happen until 2012.

January 27, 2010 – In his State of the Union Address, President Obama stated: “This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are. It’s the right thing to do.”

February 2, 2010 – Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee, both Defense Secretary Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen stated that they supported the repeal of DADT. Senator John McCain stated his support of retaining DADT by stating: “‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ has been an imperfect but effective policy, and at this moment, when we’re asking more of our military than at any time in recent memory, we should not repeal this law.”

February 22, 2010 – White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs again refused to say whether the White House supports DADT repeal in 2010.

February 23, 2010 – Army Secretary John McHugh, Army Chief of Staff George Casey and Air Force Chief of Staff Norman Schwartz testify before congressional committees that they are ready and willing to work within the framework for repeal of DADT.

March 2, 2010 – As a result of the President’s State of the Union Address, Defense Secretary Gates sends a memo ordering a comprehensive review for the repeal of DADT. He starts a working group to conduct the review and “examine the issues associated with repeal of the law should it occur and will include an implementation plan that addresses the impacts, if any, on the Department.” The report is due by December 1, 2010.

March 3, 2010 – Versions of Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which include the repeal of DADT, are introduced to the Armed Services Committees of both chambers of Congress.

March 15, 2010 – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated that she doesn’t want the House to move on banning DADT until the DOD finishes their review of the implications of banning DADT. She then asked the Pentagon to speed up their review process and that she supports a moratorium on discharges.

March 18, 2010 – Lt. Dan Choi and Cpt. Jim Pietrangelo handcuff themselves to the White House fence to protest DADT. Both plead not guilty.

April 15, 2010 – House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer stated that the House has no plans to include DADT repeal in the Defense Authorization Bill for 2011.

April 19, 2010 – Politico reported that the White House is quietly pressu

ring Congress to delay a vote on DADT until after the midterm elections.

April 19, 2010 – While at a fundraiser for Sen. Barbara Boxer, President Obama is interrupted by hecklers demanding the repeal of DADT be included in the Defense Authorization Bill.

April 21, 2010 – White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs admitted that the President opposes repeal of DADT before completion of the Pentagon’s study, which is not scheduled to be completed until December 2010.

May 2, 2010 – Former Democratic Chairman Howard Dean joins a protest in front of the White House supporting the repeal of DADT.

May 19, 2010 – House Armed Services Committee Chair Ike Skelton confirmed that DADT repeal will not be included in the 2011 Defense Authorization Bill. Sen. Carl Levin says that he will push forward with including repeal language in the Senate version of the bill, but only if he can get the votes in Committee during markup next week.

May 25, 2010 – Rep. Susan Collins becomes the first Senate Republican to support DADT repeal.

May 27, 2010 – Congressman Patrick Murphy introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for 2011 that would repeal the relevant sections of DADT sixty days after a study by the U.S. Department of Defense is completed. The House passes the amendment.

June 2, 2010 – Rep. Duncan Hunter believes the debate on DADT is just another distraction from real military threats and other priorities.

June 9, 2010 – The Pentagon restates that investigations and discharges of gay and lesbian personnel will continue under President Obama while awaiting DADT repeal.

July 9, 2010 – The Pentagon sends out a confidential survey to 400,000 active-duty and reserve service members to determine their views on the impact of repealing DADT.

July 14, 2010 – The charges against Lt. Dan Choi and Cpt. Jim Pietrangelo for their actions in March and April on the White House fence are dropped.

August 11, 2010 – Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach sues to block his DADT discharge, claiming that his case should be decided under the 2008 Witt Standard. The Witt Standard says that the burden of proof is upon the military to show that the gay or lesbian service member is a hazard to good order and discipline and that discharge is contingent upon meeting this burden of proof.

September 9, 2010 – U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips rules that the prohibition on gay service members serving openly is unconstitutional because it violates the First and Fifth Amendment rights of gays and lesbians.

September 20, 2010 – Lady Gaga staged a rally in Portland, Maine, in support of DADT repeal, calling on her fans to call Maine Republican Senators Snowe and Collins and urge them both to vote for the National Defense Authorization Act with DADT repeal language attached. Sen. Snowe refuses to vote for repeal prior to the Pentagon study’s completion.

September 21, 2010 – Senate Democrats fail to break the Republican filibuster of the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes DADT repeal. The filibuster is led by Senator John McCain.

September 24, 2010 – Congressman Jared Polis sends a letter to President Obama asking him to stop appealing Judge Phillip’s ruling and allow DADT to end.

October 12, 2010 – The injunction issued by Judge Phillips ends the military’s ban on openly gay troops serving in the military.

October 13, 2010 – White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs states that the Justice Department will continue to appeal Judge Phillip’s ruling that DADT is unconstitutional, saying that it’s the process that is important.

October 17, 2010 – The DOJ files a request for a stay of Judge Phillips’ injunction against the DOD citing concerns over religious objections and whether barracks should be segregated.

October 19, 2010 – Judge Virginia Phillips denies the DOJ’s request for a stay of injunction in Log Cabin Republicans vs. United States of America, effectively rendering DADT un-enforceable.

October 19, 2010 – The Pentagon informs military recruiters that they must abide by Judge Phillips’ court ruling, which overturned DADT and accept gay applicants; however, recruiters must inform potential recruits that the policy could be reinstated at any moment.

October 20, 2010 – The Obama administration files a request with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to stay Judge Phillips’ lower court injunction banning enforcement of DADT. The administration believes that the policy should be repealed through Congress.

October 21, 2010 – A three judge federal appeals panel temporarily blocks Judge Phillips’ injunction, finding in favor of the Obama DOJ.

October 21, 2010 – Defense Secretary Robert Gates releases guidance wherein only a service secretary can authorize a DADT discharge.

October 28, 2010 – The Pentagon study is leaked to the press. The results are favorable to repeal of DADT.

November 2, 2010 – The appeals court indefinitely extends the stay on Judge Phillips’ ruling and orders the administration to continue to enforce DADT until the appeal is heard.

November 5, 2010 – The legal team for Log Cabin Republicans files an appeal with U.S. Supreme Court over the stay of Judge Phillips’ injunction granted by the 9th Circuit Court.

November 8, 2010 – After the 2010 congressional elections, Defense Secretary Gates tells reporters: “I would like to see the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ but I’m not sure what the prospects for that are, and we’ll just have to see.”

November 10, 2010 – White House Communications Director, Dan Pfeiffer, says that DADT repeal is “at least worth a shot” in the lame-duck session of Congress.

November 12, 2010 – The U.S. Supreme Court refuses to lift the stay of Judge Phillips’ injunction.

Nov. 17, 2010 – A CNN poll shows that a growing majority of Americans, 72%, support repeal of DADT, up from 67% in September.

November 18, 2010 – Sen. Joe Lieberman states that he has the 60 Senate votes needed to end a filibuster to permit a vote on repealing DADT. This includes 2 Republicans, Senators Susan Collins and Dick Lugar, provided the Republicans get the additional debate time they want.

November 30, 2010 – At a Pentagon news conference, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, release the recommendations of the working group. Gates recommends that the DADT be repealed.

December 2, 2010 – Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense, told the Senate Armed Services Committee they wanted repeal to happen in 2010.

December 9, 2010 – Senate Repub-licans filibuster a vote on repealing the DADT as part of the defense reauthorization bill. Democrats in the House moved ahead with their own repeal and Sen. Joe Lieberman is optimistic that the House vote will give repeal new momentum in the Senate.

December 15, 2010 – House members again approved a bill to repeal DADT.  Delivery renewed momentum to end the ban on gays in the military ahead of a possible Senate vote.

December 18, 2010 – The Senate voted to repeal DADT, sending to President Obama a bill ending the 17-year ban on gays serving openly in the military.

December 22, 2010 – President Obama signed the bill allowing for repeal of DADT. However, repeal has yet to be certified, and DADT remains the law as the new provisions are phased into effect.

May 11, 2011 – Three Republican anti-gay amendments are voted into the House National Defense Authorization Amendment. The first would expand DADT repeal certification to include the service chiefs. The second would prohibit Defense Department facilities from being used in same-sex wedding ceremonies in states where it is legal. The amendments pass in the House.

June 27, 2011 – The Pentagon confirms that it is still investigating and discharging gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members.

July 6, 2011 – A federal appeals court barred further enforcement of the U.S. military’s ban on openly gay service members.

ARLINGTON, VA – The U.S. Department of Defense issued a memo last Friday directing secretaries of military departments to ensure compliance with an appeals court ruling that ordered an immediate halt to the enforcement of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The Pentagon will also begin accepting applications from prospective recruits who identify themselves as homosexuals.

The bill repealing DADT that was signed by President Obama last December stated that the full implementation of the law would take place 60 days after the bill was  certified by the Defense Department.

Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates certified his portion of the bill as one of his last duties as head of the armed forces just two weeks ago. However, last Wednesday, the federal appeals court in California ordered the U.S. Defense Department to immediately stop enforcing DADT. The court said the law is unconstitutional because it treats gay Americans differently under the law.

In its ruling, the federal appeals court said the government does not contend that the law is constitutional and added, “The circumstances and balance of hardships have changed, and [the government] can no longer satisfy the demanding standard for issuance of a stay.”

The court gave the U.S.  Defense Department 10 days to respond as to whether or not the government plans to continue to defend the constitutionality of the policy in court.

Troops are currently undergoing training programs to clarify the law and ensure a smooth transition to its repeal.

Most of that training is expected to be completed by this summer, yet there is no requirement that 100 percent of the force must be trained prior to repeal, Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen Lainez said.

Activists from coast-to-coast were thrilled with the news, aespecially since the military has continued discharges, even after DADT was officially repealed.

Alexander Nicholson, executive director for Servicemembers United, released a statement, “With the wait for certification dragging out beyond a reasonable timeframe, the Court has once again stepped in to require the Pentagon to stop enforcing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and this time it very well may be for good.”

He was sure to warn, however, that “servicemembers should still remain extremely cautious with information regarding their sexual orientation for the time being.

The issue remains in a state of flux, although guarded optimism is certainly warranted.”

In a written statement, the Human Rights Campaign said: “Today’s decision is a harbinger that ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is on its way out. With troops trained on the new policy and senior military leaders having said the process is working without significant disruption, DADT is on its last legs. The time for certification is now in order to clearly and plainly wipe this damaging law off the books once and for all.”

Click Here to Go to comprehensive timeline of the struggle for equality in the United States Military.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Military officials say that over one million members of the U.S. armed forces have completed training on the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” This means that more than half the troops have completed their training.

So far, there has been none of the turmoil or consequences predicted by the opponents of the repeal of DADT. During the debate over repealing DADT, opponents said that dropping the ban of gays and lesbians serving in the military would cause resistance, cause enlisted members to quit the military early and a drop in recruiting.

One army general has referred to the training as having been a “non-event” and that the military is doing everything they can do to head off problems in training.

ARLINGTON, VA – The Pentagon admitted that an Airman was discharged under the country’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law last April. Last December, Congress abolished “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” giving full rights to gays and lesbians to join the U.S. Military and President Obama signed the repeal legislation. The Department of Defense did not reveal full details or the name of the Airman discharged.

TUPELO, MS – American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer recently claimed that the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will allow gay activists to commit “virtual genocide against Christian soldiers as systematic hate crimes are perpetrated against people of faith in the military”.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Republican controlled House Armed Services Committee approved a $553-billion defense bill that also contained a provision which strikes down President Obama’s repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. The bill also limits the President’s authority to slash the nation’s nuclear arms arsenal. The 60-1 vote increased military pay by 1.6%, funds numerous armaments and requests an additional $118-billion for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

The lone dissenting vote was cast by Rep.

John Garamendi, Democrat from California.