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Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

An Infrequent DADT Update~Updated x2

Every once in awhile I take to the Google and check on the status of the training/certification process for DADT.

There have actually been some fairly major developments.  

Wednesday saw The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (in San Fransisco where all the gays are) rule that the military must immediately stop enforcing DADT

citing the impending demise of “don’t ask, don’t tell” and the Obama administration’s escalating criticism of antigay laws.

snip

“The circumstances and balance of hardships have changed,” said the three-member panel, which consisted of Chief Judge Alex Kozinski, a Republican appointee, and Democratic appointees Kim Wardlaw and Richard Paez.

The court cited government reports that most troops should be ready for the new policy by midsummer. The judges also noted that Obama administration lawyers have not defended the constitutionality of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” but argued only that courts should defer to congressional judgment on military matters.

There has been much made in some quarters of former SecDef Gates leaving before certifying that the military was ready for full implementation.  In fact, training is not yet complete; estimates are that training will be done by the end of July.  After that, the President, Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff must certify military readiness.  The President said recently that it will be “weeks, not months.”  So, we are looking at September or October which actually follows the original timeline most folks figured on.  I will likely cry when it is officially official.

But wait…there’s more:

President Barack Obama has appointed the first openly gay individual to the United States Military Academy Board of Visitors, an act that underlines the imminent dissolution of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy banning gays and lesbians from open military service.

snip

According to The Wall Street Journal, the 52-year-old [Brenda S. “Sue” Fulton] West Point alumna became an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights shortly after President Obama was elected to office, and has since pioneered such pro-gay military organizations as Knights Out and OutServe, both of which aim to end military discrimination against gay and lesbian service members.

And, Neil Patrick Harris has confirmed his engagement.

Update:  In order to comply with the 9th Circuit’s ruling the Pentagon on Friday ordered the four branches to accept recruits regardless of sexual orientation.

Update from the Marine Corps:

AS OF 8 JULY 2011, THE IMMEDIATE GUIDANCE IS:

   A.  UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, COMMANDERS WILL NOT ENFORCE DON’T ASK DON’T TELL AND ITS IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS.

   B.  IT REMAINS THE POLICY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE NOT TO ASK SERVICEMEMBERS OR APPLICANTS ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION, TO TREAT ALL MEMBERS WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT, AND TO ENSURE MAINTENANCE OF GOOD ORDER AND DISCIPLINE.

   C.  THE MARINE CORPS WILL PROCESS APPLICATIONS FOR ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT WITHOUT REGARD TO SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

 If you remember it was the Marine Corps Commandant who was the least thrilled about the repeal efforts.  Good on the Corps.


Categories: Uncategorized.

/ 6 Comments

6 comments

  1. HappyinVT

    President Obama on Wednesday reversed a longstanding White House policy of not sending condolences to families of service members who committed suicides in combat zones. The previous administrations believed that such acknowledgments may lead to an increase in suicides.

    In a statement released by the White House, the president said after meeting with the secretary of Defense and other military brass, he has decided to do things differently than his predecessors because these service members “didn’t die because they were weak.”

    snip

    “As a next step and in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the military chain of command, I have also decided to reverse a long-standing policy of not sending condolence letters to the families of service members who commit suicide while deployed to a combat zone. This decision was made after a difficult and exhaustive review of the former policy, and I did not make it lightly. This issue is emotional, painful, and complicated, but these Americans served our nation bravely. They didn’t die because they were weak. And the fact that they didn’t get the help they needed must change. Our men and women in uniform have borne the incredible burden of our wars, and we need to do everything in our power to honor their service, and to help them stay strong for themselves, for their families and for our nation,” Obama said. http://latimesblogs.latimes.co…  

  2. fogiv

    Obviously. The changes he’s made in policy alone are proof of that. It’s not like all these things add up to making LGBT equality the new normal. Sure, apologists and shills like to point to DADT and trot out whatever other bullshit accomplishments, but come on people, I can still see Rick Warren from deep under this Public Option bus. No sale, Mr. Hopey/Changey. Some camels have strong backs, but not me! I, sir, am not a pack animal.

    Besides, some dude who said he was familiar with the debt negotiations told some other dude at the newspaper that the Caver-in-Cheif was open to discussing Social Security, Medicare, and puppies, and nuns, and everything I hold near and dear as a PROUD Democrat since birth! Sure, I have no idea if that’s actually true, or if it is, if any cuts to any entitlement programs he’d support are actually bad for beneficiaries. Cuz, all cuts are bad, even if they’re actually possibly good, ya know.  Who’s the best spinless Bankster President evah, pray tell? Clearly, this trojan horse Obama (who is at once machiavellian and feckless [?!]) is all-out grave-raping FDR, LBJ, MLK, Ghandi, Che, and the middle class.

    I say it’s primary time. Who’s with me!

  4. ItStands

    Received the “training” a few months ago. A few grumbles here and there but folks–on the whole–seem more than able to treat homosexuals equal to any of their other counterparts.

    The next hurdle to clear, of course, is DOMA, which now puts homosexual military couples in the insane boat of not being afforded the same privileges enjoyed by heterosexual couples–i.e. co-location, BAH & pay increases, and of course…the ridiculous “sodomy” clause in the UCMJ that everyone likes to bring up. So, many, many changes need to be made. Let’s not lift our foot off the gas here.

    But, from a military standpoint, I serve with a few hundred folks who are completely ready for the transition–the sooner, the better.

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