Pentagon divulges few details on 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal

[unhappycamper]

Gen. James E. Cartwright (r.), vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs, accompanied by Defense Undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness Clifford Stanley (l.), conduct a media briefing at the Pentagon on Jan. 28 to discuss the progress of the 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal implementation effort.


Pentagon divulges few details on 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal
By Anna Mulrine, Staff writer / February 1, 2011
Washington

As the Pentagon moves forward with its plans to implement the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” US military officials say they are “pretty certain” that they will be able to begin training US troops on the new policy during the month of February.

For now, details about the implementation of the DADT repeal remain hard to come by – despite the fact that the Pentagon produced a comprehensive report in November about how, precisely, the plan allowing gay troops to serve openly in the military would be put in place.

In a recent briefing, senior military officials said only that implementation of the repeal can likely happen at some point in 2011.

But other sources suggest that the Pentagon hopes to have the training done by this summer, perhaps as early as May. Such a timeline would have the benefit of allowing the Obama administration to prepare for 2012 elections without the distraction of implementing the DADT repeal, says Jarrod Chlapowski, field director for Servicemembers United in Washington, D.C., an advocacy group for gay and lesbian troops and veterans.

“It’s in their interest for them to knock this out as quickly as possible," he says.

[Bluenorthwest]

1. So the repeal has not been implimented as yet

The status is still quo.

[TheWraith]

2. Yes and no. It's been de facto repealed, but not de jure.

There have been no discharges since September or October, and there aren't likely to be any more. So the policy is de facto over.

However, the new policies won't officially be in effect until 60 days after the White House and Pentagon certify the new protocols, which as the article says, should probably be this month.