President Certifies DADT Repeal

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President Certifies DADT Repeal

Special Report - July 26, 2011
As of September 20, 2011, openly homosexual persons will be permitted to serve in the United States armed forces. Per the law passed by Congress in late December 2010, the repeal of the nearly 20-year-old “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that prevents the open practice of homosexuality in the United State military will go into effect 60 days after the President’s certification last week that the change will not impact military readiness. On July 22, President Obama announced that he has “certified and notified Congress that the requirements for repeal have been met.” The Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and President all certified that they considered the findings and recommendations of a report on the repeal of DADT, that “the Department of Defense has prepared the necessary policies and regulations” required by the law, and that the repeal of DADT will not compromise “the standards of military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention of the Armed Forces.”

Concerns remain over the wisdom of the move to allow the open practice of homosexuality in the military after a “Survey of the Troops” earlier this year was considered to be lacking in integrity when it was revealed that the survey did not ask troops or their spouses for their position on repeal of DADT. Similar surveys that did explicitly ask for service members’ positions on DADT found that just under two-thirds oppose repealing the policy. The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) is calling for “the reports of the chiefs of the services and combat commanders that supposedly justify this move [to] be released in full, allowing service members, the public, and Congress to evaluate the situation themselves.”

Related resources:
Groups Request Help for Chaplains - May 27, 2011
Senate Oks Homosexuals in Military - December 20, 2010
Pentagon Report Misses Mark - December 1, 2010
Link to Pentagon DADT Report Web page - November 30, 2010
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Stay - November 16, 2010
Court Stays DADT Injunction - November 4, 2010
Homosexuals In Military Decision Stayed - October 21, 2010
Social Issues Stop Defense Spending Bill - September 23, 2010
Court Refuses "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Case - June 8, 2009
Don't Ask, Don't Tell - Interview - July 24, 2010 Download (mp3 ) — (wma )