"It may surprise some of you to learn that homosexuals are allowed to serve in today’s United States Military. They can serve, but they can’t engage in homosexual activities while in the military, nor can they tell anyone about their sexual preference. To do either is a basis for involuntary discharge. That’s the backbone of the current “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law." That is what Rod Powers, a retired Air Force First Sergeant with 22 years of active duty service said in one article on the usmilitary.about.com website in May 2010.
"Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) was the official United States policy on homosexuals serving in the military from December 21, 1993 to September 20, 2011.
The policy forbade military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while excluding openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual persons from military service. The policy prohibited people who "demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts" from serving in the armed forces of the United States, because their presence "would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability."
The act prohibited any homosexual or bisexual person from revealing his or her sexual orientation or from speaking about any homosexual relationships, including marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States armed forces. The act specified that service members who disclose that they are homosexual or engage in homosexual conduct should be discharged except when a service member's conduct was "for the purpose of avoiding or terminating military service" or when it "would not be in the best interest of the armed forces".
The "don't ask" part of the DADT policy specified that superiors should not initiate investigation of a service member's orientation without witnessing disallowed behaviors, though credible evidence of homosexual behavior could be used to initiate an investigation. Unauthorized investigations and harassment of suspected servicemen and women led to an expansion of the policy to "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue, don't harass."
The policy was banned in September 2011. After years of debate and months of final preparations, the military can no longer prevent gays from serving openly in its ranks.
With the lifting of the ban, the Defense Department published revised regulations to reflect the new law allowing gays to serve openly. The revisions, such as eliminating references to banned homosexual service, are in line with policy guidance that was issued by top Pentagon officials in January, after Obama signed the legislation that did away with the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.
The lifting of the 18-year-old ban also brings a halt to all pending investigations, discharges and other administrative proceedings that were begun under the law passed during Clinton's administration.
The ban of the policy opens the path to a new way of looking at gays, lesbians or bisexuals; who are now not considered as people with fewer abilities anymore. The abolishment of the DADT freed the way for the settlement of a more gay-friendly world.
Sources :
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/20/national/main20108690.shtml
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/millegislation/a/dontask.htm
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/millegislation/a/dontask.htm
