Pentagon Report on DADT

The long-awaited Pentagon report on the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell was released this afternoon. The whole thing can be read here.

Igor's got the Top 9 Findings from the report and notes:

in a press conference announcing the results of the Pentagon's 10-month review of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen, Working Group co-chairs Defense Department General Counsel Jeh C. Johnson and Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, concluded that the risk of repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell to overall military effectiveness is low and Gates even urged Congress to act on repeal before the Courts overturn the policy.

"Now that we have completed this review, I strongly urge the Senate to pass this legislation and send it to the president for signature before the end of this year," he said.

One of their recommendations for implementation of the repeal is allowing "service members who have been previously separated under Don't Ask, Don't Tell [to] be permitted to apply for reentry into the military." Blub.

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network's executive director and Army veteran Aubrey Sarvis comments: "This exhaustive report is overwhelmingly positive and constructive. The Pentagon validated what repeal advocates and social scientists have been saying about open service for over a decade. Still, some initial resistance may come from one or more of the service chiefs – the very leaders who will be charged with implementing this change. Those chiefs will need to salute and lead in bringing about this needed change. Fortunately, the chiefs have already made it clear they will do precisely that if Congress acts. Now, it's up to the Senate to make repeal happen this year."

Come on, Senators. Do the right thing.

Contact your senators and ask them to repeal DADT now.