Cracks emerge in the “united front” for the repeal of DADT

Discussion
How can an organization that forcibly strips tens of thousands of its employees of their rightly earned benefits, such as a servicemember’s partner’s access to education and health services, claim to operating at peak efficiency and effectiveness?

Despite the united front of the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to repeal don’t ask don’t tell, cracks emerged in the ranks this week.

First, Gen. George Casey, the Army chief of staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee he had “serious concerns about the impact of repeal of the law on a force that is fully engaged in two wars and has been at war for 8½ years.”

Then, on Thursday, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway told the committee that “the current policy works,” adding that his recommendation is to “keep the law such as it is.”

Both said they agreed with Defense Secretary Gates’ plan to review the issue before repealing the policy.

“My personal opinion is that unless we can strip away the — the emotion, the agendas, and the politics. And ask, at least in my case, do we somehow enhance the war fighting capabilities of the United States Marine Corps by allowing homosexuals to openly serve,” Conway said in response to questioning. “And we haven’t addressed it from the correct perspective. And at this point I think that the current policy works.”

“My best military advice to this committee, to the secretary, and to the president would be to keep the law such as it is,” Conway said. [READ MORE]