What to Expect from the Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

This week, the outdated Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy will finally be relegated to the history books. What follows is a quick background on what repeal will mean for the military in a few key areas, based on the Pentagon Working Group report and implementation plan.

Coming Out

Repeal will not likely result in a mass “coming out” of gay service members—in fact, only 15% of gay service members surveyed by the Pentagon Working Group said they would like to have their sexual orientation known to everyone in their unit. The Working Group noted that “most would continue to be private and discreet about their personal lives” out of a “desire to fit in, coexist, and succeed in a military environment.”

Standards of Conduct

All service members will be bound by existing military standards of conduct. The Pentagon Working Group observed that “military standards of conduct prescribe appropriate attire and personal appearance, prohibit unprofessional relationships, address various forms of harassment and related unprofessional behavior, and provide guidelines on public displays of affection.” Reinforcing these current standards of conduct for all service members will alleviate concerns about inappropriate behavior post-repeal.

Privacy & Housing

Half of all service members have already shared bathrooms and 38% have shared a room, berth, or field tent with a co-worker they believed to be gay. With repeal, gay service members will not be given separate housing or facilities, in part due to the fact that they would be “impossible to administer unless service members are required to disclose their sexual orientation.” If problems arise, the Pentagon Working Group reiterated that commanders will “have the flexibility, on a case-by-case basis, to address those concerns in the interests of maintaining morale, good order, and discipline,” in the same way that commanders currently deal with personality conflicts or other housing issues within their units.

Partner Benefits

For benefits that are already “member designated,” such as life insurance, missing member notification, and hospital visitation, repeal will merely remove the impediment for gay service members to list their partner on the forms through which all troops already designate their chosen beneficiaries. For most other benefits provided to military spouses and families, the Defense of Marriage Act prohibits inclusion of same-sex partners, and that prohibition will not be changed by repeal.

Equal Opportunity & Complaint Process

Sexual orientation will not be added to the current list of characteristics (race, color, religion, sex, and national origin) for diversity programs or the Military Equal Opportunity program complaint resolution process. Rather, any disruptions or complaints will be dealt with through the existing mechanisms within the chain of command.

Chaplains

Current regulations already protect the religious freedom of military chaplains, including guaranteeing that they “will not be required to perform a religious role...in worship services, command ceremonies, or other events, if doing so would be in variance with the tenets or practices of their faith.” Those protections will continue to apply post-repeal.