Don't Ask, Don't Tell

The headline from Yahoo News declares "Obama era expected to end taboo on gays in US military." That is an unusually well written headline. While the implication is that President elect Obama will be changing things, it truthfully tells us that it will happen in the Obama era. The fact is that this is a decision the President can lead on, but not one he came make himself. As the article eventually tells us, this has to be a Congressional Decision.

The US Congress passed a bill almost 16 years ago, giving us "Don't ask, don't tell." This was after then President Bill Clinton tried to eliminate the rules against homosexuals in the military. Notwithstanding President Clinton's great political skills, he failed to win the day.

This is not 1948, when President Harry S Truman eliminated segregated units by a stroke of the pen. Actually, it took a while for the armed services to be fully integrated, with the Air Force and the Navy being ahead of the curve.

This time the US Congress must act. It has failed to act in the past. Then Congressman Marty Meehan's H.R. 1059:  Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2005, died in the 109th Congress. As HR 1246, it died in the 110th Congress. The torch has now been picked up by California Bay Area Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher. (I am guessing the picture of the C-17 airlifter on her masthead is due to Travis AFB being in her district.)

As for the assertion in the article about the military being reluctant to accept the change, my impression is that today it is more about sexual harassment than anything else. I could be wrong here--my direct involvement in the military is almost 15 years old, but I still follow the military, through my involvement at work and my personal contacts.

The other thing that may accompany abolition of don't ask, don't tell--an unintended consequence--is that an escape route out of the military will be lost. Today a member of the military who desperately wants out can announce their homosexuality to their commander, with the expectation that they will be discharged. That said, I have heard anecdotal stories of commanders who have said, "Fine, so you are. Now get back to work." In today's military good people are prized and taken care of.

I expect this will happen, but not as an early move of the new Obama Administration. Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid (and the applicable Committee Chairperson) will need to be lined up, along with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Regards -- Cliff