Obama Signs End to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

Finn Torode
July 22, 2011

President Obama this afternoon signed a document that ordered the U.S. military to end the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy toward homosexuals. The move, in effect, means that in 60 days, gays and lesbians will be able to serve openly in the armed forces for the first time.

“As of September 20, service members will no longer be forced to hide who they are in order to serve our country. Our military will no longer be deprived of the talents and skills of patriotic Americans just because they happen to be gay or lesbian,” Obama said in a White House statement.

The move was the final step by the Democratic president to end the policy that had been put in place during Bill Clinton’s presidency in the early 1990s. Prior to Clinton’s time in office, gays and lesbians were banned from serving, and discharges based on sexual orientation effectively were automatic. But Clinton had made a campaign promise to lift the ban, a move that proved politically problematic, so Clinton worked with Congress to enact a compromise. The military would stop asking about potential recruits sexual orientation (the “don’t ask” part) and gay and lesbian soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen wouldn’t be able to identify publicly as homosexual (the “don’t tell” part). One other thing: Gays and lesbians couldn’t engage in sexual acts, or all bets were off.

Obama’s move won’t be popular with many, including conservatives in both political parties who are concerned that allowing gays to serve openly will hurt troop morale and hinder combat effectiveness. Several of the GOP presidential candidates vying to challenge Obama in 2012 have said they would reinstall Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell if elected.

Financially, one report suggests that getting rid of the ban should save taxpayers some money. According to a government accountability report that looked at the discharge of 3,664 service members from 2004 to 2009, the cost to the Treasury was $193.3 million—or $53,000 per discharged person. Most of that cost was to train and recruit replacements for the gay personnel, nearly 40 percent of whom held critical positions.

But opponents look at it differently. What about the cost to replace and train those military people who leave because Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed? A survey by the Military Times from 2009 found that 10 percent of respondents said they would leave the military and another 14 percent said they would consider ending their careers if gays and lesbians were allowed to serve openly.

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