Many argue repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" vital to integrity of armed services; hearings underway

FILE PHOTO: MICHAEL DWYER/AP

As the United States Senate Armed Services Committee today held the first hearings into repealing the military policy of "Don't ask, don't tell" toward gays serving in the United States armed forces, Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D - NY) today said that the 16 year-old policy is not in keeping with the military's own code of conduct.

Former President Bill Clinton negotiated the now famous "Don't ask, don't tell" policy while in office as a compromise - a way to lift the military's complete ban on homosexuals serving in the armed services.   Under the policy, the military wouldn't ask those serving about their sexual orientation and gays could serve in the armed services, so long as they never disclosed their sexual preference.  According to the Center for American Progress, the policy has resulted in the dishonorable discharge of more than 13,000 members of the armed forces, after it became known that they were gay. 

Last week, during his State of the Union Address, President Obama called for a repeal of the policy, calling it a civil rights issue and today, less than one week later Congress took the first step toward making the repeal a reality.   Today's hearing marked the first official step by Congress toward repealing the policy.  Legislation introduced by Rep. Jerrold Nadle (D - NY0/8) would do exactly that.

Today, Gillibrand said that it was ,more than just a civil rights issue, but a question of national security.

"We must recognize that human dignity and respect are part and parcel of who we were as Americans – male or female, African American or Caucasian, Gay or Straight, Bisexual or Transgender," said Gillibrand.  "We must ensure that our armed forces are fully prepared with the best resources we can muster.  Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is a threat to our men and women in uniform and our national security. We cannot afford to handicap our efforts because of ignorance or hatred."

One service member who was discharged after it was learned that he was gay, said that the current policy is not in keeping with the spirit of integrity that is instilled in members of the military.

“Honesty and integrity are everything in the army," said Sergeant Pepe Johnson, United Sates Army.  "I felt if I was lying, I didn't have it.  I wasn't serving with integrity. I felt trapped. Lying is not the way of the Army -- I felt I was violating regulation. During the three years I served I only wanted to be all I could be - to borrow the old recruiting slogan - but Don't Ask, Don't Tell forced me to be something other than what I was. And that's not consistent with the Army's Values: 'Leaders are honest to others by not presenting themselves or their actions as anything other than what they are, remaining committed to the truth.' As long as Don't Ask, Don't Tell exists, there is a hole in the integrity of the entire military.”

Two men who helped to implement the policy also say that it is past time for gay and lesbian Americans to be allowed to openly serve in the military.  Clinton has repeatedly called for an end to the policy and last week John Shalikashvili, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff joined in the call for repeal of "Don't ask, don't tell."

“When I was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, my support of the current policy was based on my belief that implementing a change in the rules would have been too burdensome for our troops and commanders at the time," said Shalikashvili.  “The concern among many at that time, was that letting people who were openly gay serve would lower morale, harm recruitment and undermine unit cohesion. 'Don’t ask, don’t tell' was seen as a useful measure that allowed time to pass while our culture continued to evolve. The question before us now is whether enough time has gone by to give this policy serious reconsideration. I believe that it has.”

 Gay rights have already arisen as an issue in Gillibrand's 2010 reelection campaign.

A gallup poll released this week showed that 69 percent of Americans support allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.