A special investigation into how the ban can be repealed without hurting the morale or readiness of the troops is expected to be announced Tuesday by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

While the review is likely to take the better part of this year to complete, and even more time to implement, its initiation will advance President Barack Obama’s goal of repealing the ban and bring a divisive issue for the military back to the fore.

At the White House, officials continued reviewing options to repeal the Clinton-era policy that the president vowed to repeal. The administration still believes that any repeal should start in Congress and have the backing of top military leaders.

To that end, Obama and Gates planned a meeting next week to discuss, among other topics, ending “don’t ask, don’t tell” policies. The president was also likely to speak with Mullen, who has signaled he would carry out a repeal if ordered by Obama and Congress.

Lifting the ban poses some emotional questions that go to the heart of the military’s command structure and the trust relationships within military units. Among them: Will U.S. troops and leaders tolerate openly gay members in their midst? And if they don’t, what should the Pentagon do about it?

The military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy was imposed by a 1993 law intended as a compromise between President Bill Clinton, who wanted to lift the ban on gays entirely, and a reluctant Congress and military that said doing so would threaten order.

Under the policy, the military can’t ask recruits their sexual orientation. In turn, service members can’t say they are gay or bisexual, engage in homosexual activity or marry a member of the same sex.

Between 1997 and 2008, the Defense Department discharged more than 10,500 service members for violating the policy.

The review to be announced this week was expected to delve into practical issues that surround changing the law: Can a soldier be forced to room with someone who is openly gay if they are the same sex? Would the military recognize civil unions and how much would it cost to extend benefits to a service member’s partner? Would quotas be imposed to ensure openly gay service members aren’t passed over for promotions?

Obama has promised to repeal the law but did little to press the issue in his first year as president. In his national address on Wednesday, Obama received a standing ovation from some members of Congress and Gates when he suggested that would change.

“This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are,” Obama said during his State of the Union address. “It’s the right thing to do.”

While his promise is being hailed as a good start by gay rights’ activists, Obama is finding resistance in several corners. Some high-ranking military officers are reluctant to embrace the change while the forces are stretched thin at a time of two wars.

Democrats in Congress are also unlikely to press the issue until after this fall’s midterm elections.

This will probably satisfy Gates, who has long suggested that change shouldn’t come too quickly. In a speech last year at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., Gated noted that the 1948 executive order for racial integration took five years to implement.

“I’m not saying that’s a model for this, but I’m saying that I believe this is something that needs to be done very, very carefully,” he told the audience.

Original Source Text:

http://www.365gay.com/news/pentagon-starts-process-of-lifting-gay-ban/

Wwooww, You're in the army, nooow!

The Army has joined forces with leading gay rights group Stonewall to promote tolerance within its ranks. Head of the British Army General Sir Richard Dannatt said discrimination prevented the full contribution that is “vital for our success in operations”. Stonewall said it had yet to set up an action plan, but that it would initially focus on recruitment and retention of military personnel. Stonewall brought legal action that removed a military ban on gays in 2000. Read all about it at BBCNews.com.

Source Text:

http://www.gayagenda.com

Speaking last night at the annual HRC dinner, President Obama told attendees that he remains committed to ending the military policy of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, ending discrimination in the workplace and pushing for acceptance and inclusion of loving couples and their families.

This came the night before the National March for Equality happening in the nation’s capital today.

The president also made a point to let those in attendance know he is a strong ally in the fight for LGBT equality, and that he understands and encourages activism by the LGBT community, and that he understands the sense of urgency by many who have grown impatient with the rate of change stating he’s interested in building a nation where “no one is denied their basic rights, in which all of us are free to live and love as we see fit.”

The president added:

“You will see a time in which we as a nation finally recognize relationships between two men or two women as just as real and admirable as relationships between a man and a woman.”

When it comes to the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the president stated:

“I am working with the Pentagon, its leadership and members of the House and Senate to end this policy. I will end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. That is my commitment to you.”

One point I would like to highlight, which is in my opinion the most important point, is the president’s voice urging activism.

One of the best know speeches of all time came from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and included the statement, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

This IS the point.  With the harsh opposition President Obama has and continues to face from the large and loud vast right wing of this nation, our voice is probably the most important element in this struggle.  We can not and should not expect the president to dictate (which would be considered forcing an agenda) equality.

We need our struggle to be seen and our voices to be heard.  This is our struggle, our fight and it’s not fair or just for the LGBT community to place our needs and wants directly on the shoulders of any one person, group or organization.

The LGBT community needs to drop our apathy and work.  We want, want, want, but we are not willing to work, work, work!

When you look at other struggles throughout history you find a great deal of work behind the successes.  Nothing in this life is free and nothing change does NOT happen overnight.

So as pleased as I am to hear the president reaffirm his commitment to equality for LGBT citizens, as pleased as I am that we finally have a president that supports the LGBT community, I am also disappointed.  Disappointed not because of the slow pace of change, not because the president hasn’t forced the repeal of laws that need to be changed by a democratic legislative process, but disappointed because of the apathy within the LGBT community.

Many of our strongest voices have come from our straight allies.  People don’t see our struggle, they see gay men who would rather dance in the streets during gay pride events in Speedos, having a ‘gay’ ole time.

The time is now, the call is here.  If we want to be taken serious, we need to act serious.  Cut the B.S., put down the boa’s, pink shoes, silliness and put on some clothes, and demonstrate.  Demonstrated everyday that you are not only a second class citizen, but a citizen who is deserving and of rights, equality and inclusion.

The fact is, much of the world views the LGBT community as we’ve been portrayed by the media…as weak, flamboyant, silly and yes…gay.  Equality is a serious issue, it’s time we, the LGBT community got off of our lazy butts and took it seriously.

Source of information: http://www.gayagenda.com/2009/10/president-obamas-promise-to-lgbt-people/