Marines back 'don't ask' repeal, with reservations

The Marines are afraid of a few good men
That’s what Citizens United thinks. They claim that 40% of our current batch of leathernecks will quit the Corps because they’re scared of serving with gays and Lesbians. Sgt. Stryker must be spinning in his grave. I’m thinking of the movie Invaders From Mars, when the Marine General says “Don’t worry son, the Marines aren’t afraid of a few Martians!” I guess they weren’t gay Martians. The Commandant of the Corps isn’t afraid of Teh Gay: To...

Leadership key to ending military gay ban (AP)
WASHINGTON – No public displays of affection. No separate bathrooms. No harassment and no special treatment. As the U.S. Military begins to map out how it will implement the new edict allowing gays to serve openly, the first order of business is drafting the regulations. The rule changes under discussion won't dictate how Troops feel about the change, but will strictly enforce how they act on it. From small wording tweaks and training programs to more complex questions about benefits and...

DADT History, But Changes Wont Happen Overnight
By Ashby Jones President Barack Obama will soon presumably put his signature to the bill ending the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy on Gays in the Military. But the armed services won’t change overnight, according to this WSJ story. The task of lifting the ban against gays serving openly in the Military is likely to take months, say senior Military officials. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said in a statement after the Senate voted Saturday to end the policy that...

Debate continues as 'don't ask, don't tell' policy nears end
An end to the policy preventing gay men and Lesbians from serving openly in the U.S. Military isn't coming soon enough to save Sgt. Anthony Bustos' Army career, but he couldn't be happier with the action by Congress. "I was completely overwhelmed and beside myself," says the 25-year-old, who served two tours in Iraq before being discharged this month under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on Openly Gay servicemembers. "I have an overwhelming sense of pride that we are one step closer to equality,...

Opinion: What gay military members would tell - Michelle Benecke
In the debate surrounding "don’t ask, don’t tell," we have heard from most everyone except those harmed by this law. DADT silences gay Military members and cloaks the fearful reality of what it means to live under this law. As senators decide how to cast their votes, they should consider the experience of gay Military members — and Repeal this law. Continue Reading Text Size - + reset Politico 44 Gay Military members are not afraid to fight for our country. Many ...

Good riddance to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
With Repeal of the bigoted "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy having passed both houses of Congress, and President Barack Obama signing it into law this week, we can finally say good riddance to this vestige of legally sanctioned Bigotry. A person's Sexual Orientation has nothing to do with their ability to do a job, yet the homophobic "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," adopted in 1993, allowed gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals to serve in the Military only if they kept their sexual orientations secret. ...

'Don't ask, don't tell' repealed: What's next?
President Obama will sign the Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" on Wednesday, according to the White House. The Obama Administration hasn't said how long that process might take, but White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday he didn't expect the process to be "overly burdensome." As Military leaders prepare for the full integration of gay and Lesbian Troops into their services following the Repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell law," they plan to draw on the detailed conclusions of a P...

Gays see repeal as a civil rights milestone
Dec. 18: Cassandra Melnikow, foreground left, and her sister Victoria Melnikow, right, sit in New York's Times Square as news of the Senate approving the Repeal of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' is displayed outside ABC Television's Times Square studios. NEW YORK - Allowing gays and Lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. Military is a step toward equality, advocates say, but a fight for other social changes such as Gay Marriage still lies ahead. The Senate voted Saturday to end the 17-year ban on op...

Gay Officer in Limbo after Discharge from Air Force
Lt. Robin Chaurasiya, an Openly Gay communications officer serving in the U.S. Air Force, is in limbo after receiving discharge papers from the Military. Chaurasiya, who has served in the Air Force since 2006, received her discharge papers Apr. 28 after revealing her Sexuality to her commanding officer at Scotts Air Force Base in Illinois. However, she has not been given an official “date of separation” and thus must continue to serve, in violation of the country’s laws which b...

Pentagon: No timeline yet on ending gay ban...
A Gay Rights Activist sporting a shirt supporting Gays in the Military. The... The Pentagon on Monday said it was unclear how soon the Repeal of a ban on Openly Gay Troops could be carried out after Congress scrapped the law in a ground-breaking vote. Defense officials had to first review and revise policies and make other preparations to reflect the change adopted Saturday by the Senate, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters. "I don't think anybody has any idea yet how long th...

DADT Repeal Strengthens Commanders Hands?
In an earlier thread, a reader brings up a legitimate beef regarding the treatment of gay and Lesbian servicemembers in a post-DADT world. His concern stems from a situation that happened when he was on Active Duty in the Navy: It’s been my experience observing Gay sailors when I was in the Navy, that they’re perfectly fine when they’re sober. When they get drunk, they let it all hang out. One guy [presumably* one of these gay sailors] on our ship got wasted, and decided to suck off som

The Day the Marine Corps Died
The United States Marine Corps was founded on November 10, 1775. The Marine Corps was put to death on December 18, 2010. As I watched the Senate vote on December 18th on lifting the ban on Homosexuals serving openly in the U.S. Military, I got sicker and sicker to my stomach. I knew I was watching the death of my beloved Marine Corps and there was nothing I could do to stop it. My father joined the Marine Corps shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. As with most M...

When Theres Nothing On The Horizon, Youve Got Nothing Left To Prove
IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 1168-10 December 20, 2010 DOD Identifies Marine Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Cpl. Eric M. Torbert Jr., 25, of Lancaster, Pa., died Dec. 18 while conducting combat operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. For additional background information on this Mar...

Political Scene
WHITE HOUSE Obama plans to sign DADT Repeal The White House says President Obama plans to sign the repeal of the Military's ban on Openly Gay service members on Wednesday, four days after the Senate voted to abolish the policy. Mr. Obama's signature would end the Pentagon's 17-year, "don't-ask, don't tell" policy and fulfill a 2008 Presidential Campaign promise. The policy has allowed gays and Lesbians to serve, but only if they were silent about their Sexual Orientation. Press Secretary Robert ...

Faust says ROTC welcome back at Harvard
Your article has been sent. Harvard President Drew Faust says that she will welcome ROTC back to campus, now that Congress has repealed the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on gays and Lesbians serving openly in the Military. Here is the full text of her statement: The Repeal of DADT is a historic step. It affirms American ideals of Equal Opportunity and underscores the importance of the right to military service as a fundamental dimension of Citizenship. It was no accident that Lincoln's Emancipati...

Beyond 'don't ask, don't tell': How is military planning to make it work?
As the Military marches into a post 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' future, some policies will be easier to devise than others. Troops' living conditions will be relatively simple. Rights for gay partners won't....

McKeon praises Amos for DADT comments
Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon, R-Calif., incoming chairman of the House Armed Services Committee praised Commandant Gen. Jim Amos for Controversial statements opposing the Obama Administration’s effort to Repeal the ban on gays. “I applaud him for his courage to speak up,” McKeon said during a Dec. 15 interview with reporters. “If I were a Marine out there on the front, I would sure feel good about my commander, no matter how I felt on the issue, because he is loo...

Manchin stands by skirting votes
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) stands by his decision to miss voting on the Repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” and the Immigration Reform bill, the DREAM Act – two major Democratic-backed pieces of Legislation. This weekend the West Virginia Democrat’s office released a statement that he could not attend the rare Saturday session because of a “holiday gathering” planned “over a year ago with all their Children and Grandchildren.” Continu...

Times Embraces 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' Repeal As 'Historic'
The Times marked Repeal of the Clinton-era “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” Legislation preventing gays from serving openly in the Military as “historic,” comparing it to the end of Racial Segregation, in Sunday’s front-page story by congressional reporter Carl Hulse, “Senate Repeals Ban Against Openly Gay Military Personnel.” Hulse often shows favoritism toward Democratic Legislation in Congress and disdain for GOP priorities. His first five sources...

'Don't ask, don't tell' repeal celebrated in S.F.
A dozen people crowded together around a small television set in the lobby of the San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Center at noon Saturday, some of them clutching hands, all of them grinning. One by one, they listened as 96 names were called in a room 2,800 miles away. As ayes were tallied, shouts of "Yes!" could be heard, followed by whoops and hollers. When the final 65-31 Senate vote repealing the Military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was finally announced, the group...

In case you didnt hear the good news yet
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which is the American law barring Openly Gay men and women from serving in the Military, was repealed by the Senate this weekend. Once Obama signs the bill, the military will no longer be able to discriminate against gays and Lesbians. It’s ridiculous that it took this long, but good news nonetheless. jill has written 4045 posts for Feministe. Oh right, Bradley Manning. (67) Hospital saves woman's life; is told by Catholic leadership not to...

Gays See Repeal As A Civil Rights Milestone
NEW YORK (AP) — Allowing gays and Lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. Military is a step toward equality, advocates say, but a fight for other social changes such as Gay Marriage still lies ahead. The Senate voted Saturday to end the 17-year ban on Openly Gay Troops, overturning the Clinton-era policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell.” “It’s one step in a very long process of becoming an Equal Rights citizen,” said Warren Arbury of Savannah, Ga., w...

Obama Plans to Sign Repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell Wednesday
Monday, December 20, 2010 By Staff, Associated Press Washington (AP) - The White House says President Barack Obama plans to sign the Repeal of the Military's ban on Openly Gay service members on Wednesday, four days after the Senate voted to abolish the policy. Obama's signature would end the Pentagon's 17-year, "don't-ask, don't tell" policy and fulfill a 2008 Presidential Campaign promise. The policy has allowed gays and Lesbians to serve, but only if they were silent about their sexual o...

Obama plans to sign repeal of gay ban Wednesday
WASHINGTON -- The White House says President Barack Obama plans to sign the Repeal of the Military's ban on Openly Gay service members on Wednesday, four days after the Senate voted to abolish the policy. Obama's signature would end the Pentagon's 17-year, "don't-ask, don't tell" policy and fulfill a 2008 Presidential Campaign promise. The policy has allowed gays and Lesbians to serve, but only if they were silent about their Sexual Orientation. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs would ...

Military isn't about the individual
The conversation surrounding "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" needs to be adjusted. The current discussion in the media deals with the progression over time of a Military member's individual rights, from segregation to women's rights to the natural and inevitable acceptance of Homosexuals' rights. The key point that the current conversation is missing is that the Military is an institution for the country, not for the individual. Ask anyone who has gone through boot camp how much freedom he o...