“This letter from Secretary Gates is a significant cause for concern for those who truly respect and support the gay military community,” said Alexander Nicholson, a former U.S. Army interrogator who was discharged under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and who is the current Executive Director of Servicemembers United. “Several of the points in this letter are patently offensive and false, such as the claim that repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ would have a ‘direct impact for [troops] and their families’ or the suggestion that legislative action to repeal the law this year would ‘send a very damaging message to our men and women in uniform that in essence their views, concerns, and perspectives do not matter.’”
For more than a year, Servicemembers United has been actively lobbying for a repeal plan that would respect the need of the Department of Defense to proceed in a thoughtful and measured way and to plan for repeal implementation in advance. The plan, which Servicemembers United released publicly in early February but which the White House has had since last spring, would allow for legislative repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” statute now but delay the effective date of full repeal until a pre-determined future point at which the Department of Defense is comfortable and ready for the change. This type of plan, referred to as a Set End-Date / Delayed Implementation plan, would accomplish both the goals of the President and the goals of the Pentagon without risking the lives and livelihoods of gay and lesbian troops by delaying legislative action. Nicholson added, “If the White House and the Department of Defense had been more engaged with us and had communicated with us better about the alternatives available, Secretary Gates would surely not feel that legislative action this year would disrespect the opinions of the troops or negatively impact them and their families. This is partly a failure of the Administration to substantively engage the gay military community in a timely manner, and it remains unacceptable. The Commander-in-Chief should strongly and immediately speak out about the need to move swiftly and decisively on this issue for the sake of military readiness. It is, after all, as the President said, ‘the right thing to do.’”
For more information about Servicemembers United, please visit www.servicemembersunited.org. For the latest information on discharge numbers, polling, statistics, studies, and other archival and reference information related to the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' issue, please visit www.dadtarchive.org.
