Pentagon Announces Training For Repeal Of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” To Begin In February; Issues Guidelines Regarding Changes

The Pentagon plans to start training commanders, chaplains, and troops in February on how to adapt to a military will now permit gays to serve openly in uniform, a fundamental step in repealing the policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the Washington Post reports. Each of the military services will be responsible for the specifics of training, which will take place in three phrases. Military chaplains, lawyers, civilian personal will be first, commanding officers second, and finally the troops. The four branches of the armed services will focus on training troops prior to deployment; however some training may take place on the battlefront. In a briefing with reporters Friday, the Vice Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff General James E. Cartwright said “Moving along expeditiously is better than dragging it out.” The services must submit detailed training plans to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates by next Friday. Training should concentrate on reminding troops to treat one another with respect, and no police should, according to a memo issued by Gates, be created solely based on sexual orientation and that harassment or unlawful discrimination of any service member is prohibited. Training is likely to be led by instructors, and will include written material, videos, vignettes detailing difference elements of military life, and PowerPoint slides outlining the changes. Each individual must certify that he or she has successfully completed the training. Gates’ memo mentions that once the gay ban in lifted, the military will no longer be allowed to remove troops for homosexuality, and it will end investigations of troops suspected to allegedly violate the former policy. The Pentagon will continue to examine whether gay troops could designate same sex partners as beneficiaries. Clifford Stanley, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said that few changes, if any to military personal policy and benefits programs are needed, since the Defense of Marriage Act prohibits the extension of most medial, housing, and travel benefits to same sex partners. He added that service members discharged under the policy prohibiting openly gay service personal will be eligible to reenlist, but that “there will be no preferential treatment” for them, and they will not eligible for retroactive pay. Stanley also said that there will be no new policy for releasing service members opposed to repealing the ban, but those opposed may ask for voluntary discharges.