scoutsout80
01-29-2010, 04:05 PM
In the President’s State of the Union, just like he did as a candidate and on multiple occasions during his first year as President, Obama promised to works towards ending the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. The Obama Administration has said it does not have the power to end DADT through executive order and that the only constitutional way to repeal the policy is through Congress. I don’t think this is even going to be a priority for the administration and Congress, with the obvious focus being on jobs, healthcare, and of course the 2010 election which are now only about nine months away. However, I am bothered by the way politicians and media discuss DADT, just like I am bothered by the shallow way that most issues involving the military are discussed. It is implied that all that needs to happen with DADT is that Congress and the President need to wave a magic wand and gays can serve openly the next day without a hitch. I’m pretty sure that most readers of this blog and anybody who has served in the military knows that this is not the case. There are serious policy, operational, logistical, and of course fiscal issues that the repeal of DADT poses to our military, which is in the middle of a very kinetic fight in Afghanistan and massive drawdown in Iraq.
Lets go over some of the questions that nobody in the Obama administration or Congress has addressed in regards to repealing DADT:
1. Will there be seperate barracks, berthing, and living quarters for homosexuals?
With the Army and Marine Corps having expanded over the past three years and with the Navy changing its policies on living on ship while in port, there is a severe shortage of housing for both single and married military personnel. Not to mention that on naval vessels there is already limited berthing spaces for sailors/Marines. Mandating that homosexuals have their own living quarters (like some colleges and universities do) will require new construction of barracks and a complete rearrangement and reconfiguring of hundreds of naval vessels. On the other hand, allowing homosexuals to live with heterosexuals, will cause a whole different set of headaches for military commanders.
2. Will homosexuals be allowed to serve in combat arms units?
Women are forbidden by Congress to serve in combat arms units (infantry, arty, tanks, etc.). Some of the same issues surrounding women serving in combat units are present in the debate over gays serving openly in these same units.
3. Will people discharged under DADT be allowed to reenlist/recommission in the military if the policy is repealed?
I don’t know how many people who were discharged under DADT would want to reenter the military, but there are even more questions that need to be answered if they are allowed to reenter. Will they retain their same rank/billet regardless how long they have been out? Will they get retroactive promotions?
4. If homosexuals are allowed to serve openly in the military, will the military recognize and award benefits to gay marriages or civil unions?
5. Will each service be allowed to craft its own policies regarding homosexuals?
Each service has its own operational needs and missions. Will the DoD have an across the board policy or like with women will each service be given some degree of freedom to craft its own policies?
And finally…
6. How much money is repealing DADT going to cost?
Everytime the military changes a policy, it costs money. A major policy change like this one is going to cost that Defense Department a lot of money to implement, the amount depends a lot on the answers to the questions that I have posed. Thats money that can be spent on things like body armor, new vehicles, new guns, or any number of things that are important to an effective military.
If has any links to anybody in the Obama administration addressing these issues in writing or on video, I would greatly appreciate it if you provided the links in the comment sections.
Lets go over some of the questions that nobody in the Obama administration or Congress has addressed in regards to repealing DADT:
1. Will there be seperate barracks, berthing, and living quarters for homosexuals?
With the Army and Marine Corps having expanded over the past three years and with the Navy changing its policies on living on ship while in port, there is a severe shortage of housing for both single and married military personnel. Not to mention that on naval vessels there is already limited berthing spaces for sailors/Marines. Mandating that homosexuals have their own living quarters (like some colleges and universities do) will require new construction of barracks and a complete rearrangement and reconfiguring of hundreds of naval vessels. On the other hand, allowing homosexuals to live with heterosexuals, will cause a whole different set of headaches for military commanders.
2. Will homosexuals be allowed to serve in combat arms units?
Women are forbidden by Congress to serve in combat arms units (infantry, arty, tanks, etc.). Some of the same issues surrounding women serving in combat units are present in the debate over gays serving openly in these same units.
3. Will people discharged under DADT be allowed to reenlist/recommission in the military if the policy is repealed?
I don’t know how many people who were discharged under DADT would want to reenter the military, but there are even more questions that need to be answered if they are allowed to reenter. Will they retain their same rank/billet regardless how long they have been out? Will they get retroactive promotions?
4. If homosexuals are allowed to serve openly in the military, will the military recognize and award benefits to gay marriages or civil unions?
5. Will each service be allowed to craft its own policies regarding homosexuals?
Each service has its own operational needs and missions. Will the DoD have an across the board policy or like with women will each service be given some degree of freedom to craft its own policies?
And finally…
6. How much money is repealing DADT going to cost?
Everytime the military changes a policy, it costs money. A major policy change like this one is going to cost that Defense Department a lot of money to implement, the amount depends a lot on the answers to the questions that I have posed. Thats money that can be spent on things like body armor, new vehicles, new guns, or any number of things that are important to an effective military.
If has any links to anybody in the Obama administration addressing these issues in writing or on video, I would greatly appreciate it if you provided the links in the comment sections.