I’ll be live-blogging today’s 2:00 PM press briefing of the Comprehensive Review Working Group “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” report with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, DOD General Counsel Jeh C. Johnson and U.S. Army Gen. Carter F. Ham.
Refresh your browser for constant updates, or watch the briefing live here.
COMPLETE. Stay tuned for MUCH MORE on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” today, including more analysis.
Questions:
Chaplins will not be asked to teach something they do not believe in.
Gates: If congress repeals, this is the will of the American people.
Gates says the level of comfort with those who have served with a gay soldier before is something like 90%. Part of this is inherent resistance to change.
Mullen: This is a policy change we can implement.
Gates: We are asking for time to prepare. How long? Frankly I don’t know.
Mullen:
Should repeal occur I share the Secretary’s desire it come about thru legislations
However low risk is, it is not without challenges. We need to have within our power the ability to manage the implementation process ourselves.
We treat people with dignity and respect. Comport ourselves with honor, repeal or no repeal.
We all have pour opinions and those pinions matter but we all have the obligation to follow orders and find ways to lead.
Fully endorse results of working groups findings.
Gates:
Personal note and appeal. I dealt with this at the CIA. Views have changed considerably since “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was first enacted. I would ask as Congress takes on this debate for all involved to resist the urge to lure our troops and their families into the politics of this issue.
Plan puts strong focus on education. Military needs to be given sufficient time to get job done right.
Legislation before Senate would NOT harm military readiness.
Important change comes by legislative means. Those that choose not to act legislatively are rolling the dice that this policy will not be overturned by the courts.
Judicial fiat of ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is most disruptive scenario I can imagine.
House passed repeal after number of steps take place. I strongly urge senate to pass this legislation and send to president before end of this year.
Concerns of combat troops not insurmountable. Can and should be done without posing serious risk but abundance of care and prep necessary.
There is a negative effect on unit cohesion with repeal.
With thorough prep there is low risk for repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
Unit cohesion, readiness: most important to Gates. Well-being of those doing the fighting and dying guide Gates, and he will minimize any negative impact on combat units.
Benefits, housing, etc. Majority of concerns dealing with these issues could be governed by existing policies and laws.
There is a higher level of discomfort in the combat armed specialities
gates: had to reach out and listen to men and women and their families. included those discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
Strong majority do not object to gays and lesbians serving openly in uniform. Would not be the wrenching ordeal many have feared.
Gates: findings of report ten months of study. This was not a poll, antithetical to our system of government to ask military members to take a vote on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
The New Civil Rights Movement
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Gates is speaking now, introducing process and key players.