Gates Seeks to Assure Troops on "Don't Ask"

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Social Issues

(Credit: AP)

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has released a video seeking to reassure members of the military as Congress moves toward possibly authorizing repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

The repeal, if passed, would not go into effect until after completion of a Pentagon review on the impact of eliminating the policy and subsequent approval from Gates, Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen and President Obama to move forward.

In the video, Gates asks members of the military for guidance on "how to do this right" and insists no change is imminent.

The Pentagon review is set to be completed by December first.

"While it appears likely that Congress will eventually change the 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' law, we do not expect the legislation that would do this to be presented to the president for months -- perhaps not until the end of the year," Gates said, noting that the repeal is deferred.

"While this process plays out over time, nothing will change in terms of our current policies and practices," he adds. "Current law, policies and regulations remain in place, and we are obligated to abide by them as before."

The House voted today to repeal the policy, which bans gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military, pending the review and approvals. A spirited debate is expected on the matter sometime this summer in the Senate, with some Republicans promising to filibuster the attempt to attach repeal to the pending defense spending bill.

Watch the video of Gates below.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by DarrekW August 31, 2010 6:07 PM EDT: I wish the military chain of command would stand up and clarify a lot of the issues with the repeal.

The military has a record of ignoring the ban when it comes to deployments and drafts yet no body has asked them anything and they haven't been forth coming about that. This would answer how service members deal with gays in the shower and in bay living conditions. The military doesn't enforce this ban during deployments or in drafting men to go to war which is also when the communal showers and bay living is most common in the military.

The morality of homosexual conduct is also irrelevant to this debate. Last time I checked it is not preferable to hide one sin by lying about it. To say that conduct is immoral so lie about it just makes the situation worse and isn't a moral way to deal with immoral conduct. By supporting an atmosphere that stifles open discourse the military is destroying unit cohesion. Why is it that the military is asking about gay couples being allowed to hug each other after long separations before a repeal even goes through congress but they didn't deal with attacks on suspected homosexuals until after a service member died? Service members feel perfectly comfortable saying things like I wouldn't want to be called up to defend San Fransisco, but even using a phrase like 'I am gay' as an example of speech that can get you kicked out can get you kicked out.

I've never known a gay man to ask for a straight man to defend him. The process of coming out usually involves developing a level of personal courage that most straight people can only see from the outside looking in they never seem to truly understand it, it isn't about being proud of being gay or having an agenda or anything that unifies gay people in anything except that they have had to face their on worst nightmares and found them lacking. Most of the service members in our armed forces who don't want gays in the military now would change their minds if they ever were allowed to deal with gay people in the military. Such things as sexual harassment would fall way the first time some one tried anything so disrespectful and the open gay man stopped it (as I feel most would, it's a part of finding the courage to 'come out' especially in an environment as hostile as the military can be). One can't find respect and dignity while allowing another to be disrespected and dehumanized.; Reply to this comment


by SueZeeeQue May 29, 2010 9:31 AM EDT: Gays have always served in the military.

The military is full of homosexuals.

The world is full of homosexuals.

Get over it.; Reply to this comment


by HighTimePilot May 29, 2010 4:39 AM EDT: First, anyone who has not been in the military or is not in the military doesn't have a clue what they are talking about, so stop commenting. Anyone who was in the military in the last 40 years or is in the miliary now, has or is serving with gays and lesbians. They are a valuable part of the military and to force them to hide is about equivelent to forcing an interracial married couple to live off base so no one will know. The worries about showers, etc, are completely invalid because, if any of that was a problem, it would be going on now - - and it isn't. Jump into the 90s people.; Reply to this comment


by Lawyers-Guns-n-Money06 May 29, 2010 4:03 AM EDT: by Lawyers-Guns-n-Money06 May 28, 2010 7:49 PM EDT

Maybe so, but they are not entitled to their own facts.
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by Lifeson2112 May 28, 2010 7:58 PM EDT
Opposition to gays is at 53%.
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Exhibit "A" your Honor.; Reply to this comment


by Archie_Clement May 28, 2010 10:20 PM EDT: Wait, I thought everyone in the military was on board with this. You mean there may be resistance to openly gay Marines? Surely not.; Reply to this comment

by Lawyers-Guns-n-Money06 May 28, 2010 7:49 PM EDT

by catwreck May 28, 2010 7:24 PM EDT

Folks like "Lifeson2112" are entitled to their opinions...
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Maybe so, but they are not entitled to their own facts.

Reply to this comment


by Lifeson2112 May 28, 2010 7:58 PM EDT: Opposition to gays is at 53%. This is a fact. Sorry. The truth hurts. And I have gay friends. Its not a hate thing. For the most part they are respectful and do not flaunt anything. Keep it that way and fine. Most Americans do not want an overt gay display however.


by catwreck May 28, 2010 9:46 PM EDT: Lifeson2112: "The world is moving on but the majority of us do not want to put up with these sickos."

And now, they are "for the most part ... respectful"? One minute they are "sickos" and the next minute you "have gay friends"? Make up your mind.

How, exactly, does allowing gay and lesbian American citizens to serve their country in the military openly and honestly amount to an "overt gay display"? I am absolutely heterosexual myself, but I cannot recall one single incident in my nearly thirty years of service where my sexual preferences played any role whatsoever in my performance of my military duties.

"Opposition to gays is at 53%." Opposition to gays in the military? Opposition to gays anywhere? 53% of whom? Not a terribly informative statistic you have there.

Out of curiosity, what sort of poll results do you suppose would President Harry Truman have gotten when he signed Executive Order 9981 in 1948, integrating the US military?


by jankebenzone May 28, 2010 7:42 PM EDT: by formrusmcsgt May 28, 2010 5:39 PM EDT
Put the gays with the women and lesbians with the men
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I agree with you on this matter. Might cure their "problems".; Reply to this comment


by ju78iklo9 May 28, 2010 6:25 PM EDT: Offer a don't ask don't tell enlistment option to interested recruits to work mostly side by side. Problem solved.; Reply to this comment

by riptide213 May 28, 2010 6:19 PM EDT

Post DADT parity must be given to all heterosexuals in uniform so they can exercise a self initiated opt out of service option.

Allowing uncomplicated nonpunitive administrative US military service obligation contract termination rights by law to all heterosexual service members as currently offered under present DoD DADT policy to homosexual or bisexual service members must be a fundamental, fair underpinning of any new DoD active duty, reserve, or guard workforce open sexuality policy law change.

Equal respect and rights to opt in or out of service obligations either side of DADT implementation or repeal.

Any equitable change to current DADT policy must be directly linked to a new reciprocal legal separation option for any and all serving heterosexual military members who no longer desire to serve their country as a volunteer in a new openly gay and lesbian permitting All Volunteer Force.

Explicit nonpunitive administrative self initiated legal options to forsake All Volunteer Force contracts and Active Duty Service Commitments must be equally provided to any and all existing service personnel who no longer wish to serve in the new openly gay and lesbian US military.

Rescinding DADT is big enough change to US military service that those who want out must be afforded a lawful and expedited unconditional heterosexual opt out release option.

Respect and recognize with equal value that any serving heterosexual may simply decide at any time that a non DADT military is not for them thus want out, with no questions asked or hassles.

Who will introduce this fair, reciprocal administrative exit option requirement upon repeal of DADT legislation.

Will staffers and CINC do the right thing for all volunteers when executive order is crafted and signed.

Special interest angle covered, so who will champion cause for remaining citizens proudly serving.

If or when they choose, allow anyone currently serving or who enters military an option to honorable end their volunteer contract or service obligation and depart immediately or at any time after a repeal of DADT.

Homosexual or bisexual citizens who volunteer to seek out and serve in US military knew current DADT policy and law thus could opt in to obligate themselves to initially serve, continue to serve, or once committed decide at any time for themselves how not serve their country under these well known organizational rules by opting out.

No other US military volunteer has a legal, administrative option on offer to unvolunteer by simple self disclosure under existing DADT.

Currently under DADT any homosexual or bisexual military member can self initiate a legal separation from military service at any time by if, how, or when they choose to express their sexuality or simply self identify themselves under DADT.

Thankfully most do not elect to utilize this separation option, but knowing you can readily unvolunteer your service at any time at your choosing not Uncle Sams is an exclusive exit strategy potential only afforded to homosexual or bisexual serving members.

DoD contract and military lifestyle change so alarming it warrants reciprocal exit options for all sexual orientations.

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by catwreck May 28, 2010 7:33 PM EDT: I think the statistics show that the majority of separations on the grounds of sexuality are involuntary and not self initiated. At any rate, if and when DADT ends, that particular option will end as well.

Just out of curiosity, how many military folks were allowed to simply "unvolunteer" when Harry Truman integrated the armed forces? It was certainly a change of "military lifestyle" every bit as profound - and for many, alarming - as the end of DADT.


by slcootz May 29, 2010 10:17 PM EDT: Ha! The few, the proud, the too chickensh-t to serve in a military that also allows gay people to serve? Please.

Anyone who is that much of a crybaby coward should certainly be separated from service, but not honorably.

by VA_John May 28, 2010 6:12 PM EDT

Gay men are already in the barracks with the men - as are lesbians with the women. How far up your rectum is your head that you cannot acknowledge that that is true AND it has no bearing on the military professionalism of the men and women in the forces NOW?

Change must really scare you to death - maybe you could just go to Kansas or somewhere that refuses to accept that the world is moving on. I hear Iran is nice this time of year. Just don't try to change anything there or you will lose your head in the process.

Reply to this comment


by Lifeson2112 May 28, 2010 7:12 PM EDT: The world is moving on but the majority of us do not want to put up with these sickos. Sorry. The truth hurts.


by catwreck May 28, 2010 7:24 PM EDT: There were gays in the military when I entered the Air Force in 1968, and there were gays in the military when I retired in 1995. Like any other group of people within the military, the vast majority of them served honorably, did their jobs well, and caused no problems for anyone. I doubt that many of their comrades in arms even noticed their orientation - and I'm sure that far fewer even cared.
Folks like "Lifeson2112" are entitled to their opinions, but I sincerely doubt they are even close to being a majority.