The White House and the U.S. military, with the support of Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, are moving to end the
"don't ask, don't tell" policy, codified at 10 U.S.C. §654 (1993).
Under "don't ask, don't tell," service members are not questioned over
their sexual orientation but are subject to discharge if they reveal
publicly that they are gay or lesbian. Accoding to the New York Times's coverage,
the Obama administration was faced with a choice: move away from the
policy, or defend in court a policy which President Obama had long
thought was wrong.
Here are some more links about "don't ask, don't tell":
- Google has a timeline of the debate, starting in 1993.
- Center for Military Readiness President Elaine Donnelly opposes repeal.
- The New York Times published an editorial advocating the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell.
- Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State Colin Powell now favors repeal.
- Retired Navy Capt. Joan E. Darrah, who served 29½ years as a naval intelligence officer and was chief of staff and deputy commander at the Office of Naval Intelligence, describes her experiences under "don't ask, don't tell."
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