Washington Post Reports That Leaked Pentagon Document Supports Repeal Of Military Ban On Openly Gay Service Members

The Washington Post reports that a Pentagon study has concluded that the military can lift the ban on openly gay service members with minimal and isolated incidents of risk to the current wars being waged, according to two sources familiar with the report that is due for delivery to President Obama December 1st. The document totals some 370 pages, and is divided into two sections. The first explores whether repealing the policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” would harm or hinder unit cohesion or readiness. The section references the survey sent out this summer to 400,000 active duty and reserve troops, a separate survey sent to an estimated 150,000 military spouses, the responses submitted to an anonymous online drop box seeking comments, and responses from focus-groups. According to one source, 70-percent of the respondents sent to active-duty and reserve troops indicated that the effect of the repeal of would be positive, mixed, or non-existent. The second section presents a plan for ending enforcement of the ban, and while not produced as the military’s official instruction manual on the proposed repeal, could be used if agreed on by military leaders. Of note, an estimated 40-percent of the Marine Corps expressed concern about lifting the now 17 year old ban, echoing statements made by General James Amos this past weekend. No one from the Defense Department would comment. The report also recommends that the military end a ban on sodomy between consenting adults, regardless of whether the ban on openly gay service members is repealed, and suggests that if repeal does transpire, gay troops not be put into a special class for equal-opportunity or discrimination purposes.