Florida Agenda

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Outgoing Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is unlikely to certify the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” before leaving office this week, according to what a senior defense and military officer told the military newspaper Stars and Stripes.

Gates had said that he would like to be the one that finalized the repeal of the 18-year-old ban on openly gay troops if the service chiefs gave him their okay before he retires on June 30th.  Army leaders said assessments on the progress and impact of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal training, underway since February, were due last Friday, leaving open a slim possibility that certification could come before Gates steps down.

Gay rights groups have for weeks been pushing for Gates to wrap up the process, concerned that his replacement, former CIA director Leon Panetta, might wait several more months before moving forward. Now, with Gates’ retirement just days away, that’s becoming less realistic.

Nearly all active-duty soldiers will have completed the training by July 15. The sessions inform service members about changes in law and policies post-repeal, as well as instruction about how troops should act around gay colleagues and reminders about existing rules regarding public displays of affection.

Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps officials said they expect to have more than 95 percent of their forces trained before the end of the month.
Once the Secretary of Defense certifies that the services are ready for the repeal, the law will come off the books after an additional 60-day waiting period.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Outgoing Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said last week that the military’s ban on gays openly serving in the military could end as early as this month. He said that the top military officers of each branch of service have recommended ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and that he endorses the measure.

Once Gates approves the certification, it can be fully implemented by September.

WASHINGTON D.C. – Thanks to a change in rules on Oct. 21 by United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates, no U.S. military members have lost their jobs under the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy. Gates said that all service members who were ‘outed’ would have to be dismissed only by the four service secretaries.

Since that rule change, none of the secretaries have dismissed anyone for DADT from the Navy, Marines, Army or Air Force.

A study commissioned by President Barack Obama showed that repealing DADT would have no effect on the readiness of the Armed Services.

WASHINGTON, DC – The Associated Press is reporting that U.S. Secreatary of Defense Robert Gates wants the Senate to quickly move ahead with repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” during the lame duck session. Gates was not optimistic that the Senate would pass the National Defense Authorization Act which includes a DADT repeal. Gates also feels that if action isn’t taken immediately, there will be less chance of repeal once the new Congressional session begins in January 2011.

Support for repealing DADT came from former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani who spoke on CNN saying that since the Republicans now have the majority in House, the new majority should not add roadblocks in front of advances in LGBT equality, particularly in ending DADT.

“I didn’t see [Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell] as a big issue in [the election],” Giuliani said. “The social issues were not in this election. So maybe that’s an area where Republican can ease up a little bit.”