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JUSTIÇA NO EXTERIOR •
THE GUARDIAN (LO) • NEWS • 20/9/2011
US military lifts ban on openly gay troops
Barack Obama welcomes repeal of 18-year don t ask, don t tell policy as gay lobby
groups across US celebrate
Karen McVeigh and Paul
Harris in New York
Don t Ask, Don t Tell – the
US military s 18-year ban on
openly gay and lesbian service
personnel – has officially
been repealed, ushering in a
new era for the country s
armed forces.
In a statement President Barack
Obama welcomed the
end of a policy that he said
had forced gay and lesbian
members to "lie about who
they are".
The repeal, which took effect
from midnight on Tuesday,
was celebrated as "momentous
news" by gay lobby
groups across the US, who
have long fought against the
policy, and among the military
s estimated 65,000 serving
gay and lesbian servicemen
and women.
Obama said he was confident
that lifting the ban would
enhance national security.
Previously, serving gay and
lesbians who did not keep
their sexuality a secret faced
being discharged from the
military. Opponents had argued
that allowing openly
gay troops to serve would
hamper military effectiveness.
"As of today, patriotic Americans
in uniform will no
longer have to lie about who
they are in order to serve the
country they love," Obama
said in a statement. "As of
today, our armed forces will
no longer lose the extraordinary
skills and combat experience
of so many gay and
lesbian service members.
"Today, every American can
be proud that we have taken
another great step toward
keeping our military the finest
in the world and toward
fulfilling our nation s founding
ideals."
Last December, the president
signed legislation to repeal
the Don t Ask Don t Tell
policy (DADT), which had
been passed by congress and
signed into law in 1993 under
then-President Bill Clinton.
Obama paid tribute to gay
and lesbian troops who had
been discharged as a result of
the policy, and to those who
had lost their lives to serve
their country.
More than 14,500 US service
personnel have been thrown
out of military service since
the DADT policy took effect,
according to the non-profit
watchdog and lobby group,
the Servicemembers Legal
DefenseDefence Network.
In a memo, the Pentagon said
that the policy would not
harm military readiness, unit
cohesion or recruiting and
retaining members.
"Effective today, statements
about sexual orientation or
lawful acts of homosexual
conduct will not be considered
as a bar to military service,"
said Clifford Stanley, the
US under secretary of defence
for personnel and readiness.
Nor would they prevent
admission military academies
and other programs.
"All service members are to
treat one another with dignity
and respect, regardless of
sexual orientation," he said,
warning that "harassment or
abuse based on sexual orientation"
would not be tolerated
in the military.
The Pentagon said recruiters
are now accepting applications
from openly gay people.
In a statement, the US army
said: "From this day forward,
gay and lesbian soldiers may
serve in our army with the
dignity and respect they deserve."
At one minute past midnight
on Tuesday, Stanley put out a
statement from the Pentagon
to the work force.
"The department of defense
is committed to promoting an
environment free from personal,
social or institutional
barriers that prevent service
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