More than 100 retired generals and admirals on Monday recommended that the military repeal its “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on homosexuals so that they can serve openly.
The move by the high-ranking veterans confronts the coming administration of US president-elect Barack Obama with a difficult political and cultural problem that dogged former president Bill Clinton early in his Democratic administration.
“As is the case with Great Britain, Israel and other nations that allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are professionals who are able to work together effectively despite differences in race, gender, religion and sexuality,” the officers said in a statement.
While Obama has expressed support for a repeal, he said during the presidential campaign that he would not do so on his own — an indication that he would tread carefully to prevent the issue from becoming a drag on his agenda. Obama said he would work instead with military leaders to build consensus on removing the ban on openly gay service members.
“Although I have consistently said I would repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’ I believe that the way to do it is make sure that we are working through a process, getting the joint chiefs of staff clear in terms of what our priorities are going to be,” Obama said in a September interview with the Philadelphia Gay News.
Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for Obama’s transition team, would not comment on Monday.
The issue of gays in the military became a flash point early in the Clinton administration as the young president tried to fulfill a campaign promise to end the military’s ban on gays. His efforts created the current compromise, which allows homosexuals to serve so long as they do not disclose their sexual orientation.
Retired Admiral Charles Larson, a two-time superintendent of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, who signed the statement with 104 other retired admirals and generals, said in an interview that he believed Clinton’s approach was flawed because he rushed to change military culture.
Larson said he hoped Obama would take more time to work with the Pentagon. Joining Larson among the signatories was Clifford Alexander, Army secretary under former president Jimmy Carter.
“There are a lot of issues they’ll have to work out, and I think they’ll have to prioritize,” Larson said, noting that the next administration would face immediate combat-readiness and budget problems.
“But I hope this would be one of the priority issues in the personnel area,” Larson said.
The list of 104 former officers who signed the statement appears to signal growing support for resolving the status of gays in the military. Last year, 28 former generals and admirals signed a similar statement.
Larson, who has a gay daughter he says has broadened his thinking on the subject, believes a generational shift in attitudes toward homosexuality has created a climate where a repeal is not only workable but also an important step for keeping talented personnel in the military.
The officers’ statement points to data showing there are about 1 million gay and lesbian veterans in the US, and about 65,000 gays and lesbians currently serving in the military.
The military discharged about 12,340 people between 1994 and last year for violating the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, according to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a military watchdog group.
Last year, 627 military personnel were discharged under the policy.
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