The Pentagon will certify it is ready to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) on Friday, almost seven months to the day since President Obama signed into law a bill that paved the road for repeal. Based on an amendment to that bill, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell would be officially repealed sixty days from tomorrow. President Obama signed the law on December 23, 2010.
“Top defense officials plan to certify Friday that the Pentagon is ready to end the ban on gays serving openly in the military, officials said, a landmark moment after almost two decades of controversy” The Wall Street Journal reported minutes ago.
With the repeal in place, many senior military officials have said privately they are personally in favor of extending equal rights to same sex couples. Advocates are counting on those officers to make the case to Congress that current law should be changed.
“Commanders, once they realize this inequity exists are going to be uncomfortable with troops under their command not receiving the same basic benefits,” said Aubrey Sarvis, an Army veteran and executive director Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which advocates for gay members of the military. “There must be equal treatment for equal risk, equal treatment for equal sacrifice.”
Senior military officers say the training has gone smoothly and they expect few cases of harassment. But they also note that because of military culture they are unsure about how many service members will come out publicly.
“[T]he Pentagon will announce tomorrow that both Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and all of the Joint Chiefs have certified that the military is ready to repeal ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’,” reports MSNBC as well.
President Obama, Secretary of Defense Panetta, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff all must certify that the repeal will not harm military readiness. It is unclear if the President will sign off on that on Friday as well.
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