‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ report expected to be delivered to Gates on Dec. 1

A key report on the implications of repealing the “Don’t ask, don’t
tell” law is on track and expected to be delivered to Defense
Secretary Robert Gates on Dec. 1, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell
said on Thursday.

Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, have insisted that the study is critical in educating military
leaders in advance of the possible repeal of the ban on openly gay people
serving in the military.

{mosads}Reviewing the report will be a priority for Gates, Morrell said at
a press briefing at the Pentagon on Thursday. However, Morrell declined
to telegraph any steps that Gates would take to engage Congress on the
repeal issue after he reviews the report.

Jeh Johnson, the Pentagon’s top lawyer, and Army Gen. Carter Ham,
the newly appointed head of Africa Command, have been leading the
yearlong study.

Gates “believes it’s better to do this smart
than stupid, and that this report is very important to us doing this
smartly,” Morrell said. “So our focus right now is getting this report
finished, getting it to the secretary, having him review it, carefully
consider it, and then take measures from there.”

President Obama on Wednesday renewed his call for the repeal of the
Clinton-era law and urged Congress to act before the end of the year.
He indicated that Congress would have time to act after the Pentagon
study is finished. Congress must write the legislation to change
the 1993 law. However, it is yet unclear whether the Democratic
leadership will be able to act by the end of the year.

The pressure is on the Senate to act on the 2011 defense
authorization bill, which contains a provision that would repeal the ban
after the Pentagon finishes its review of repeal implications and after
Obama, Gates and Mullen certify that the repeal can be achieved
consistent with the military’s standards of readiness, effectiveness,
unit cohesion, recruitment and retention. The House already passed the
2011 defense authorization bill containing the same provision at the
end of May.

Morrell indicated that Gates is primarily focused on the review and
not on pressing Congress to act on repeal before the beginning of
December. 

“In 26 days’ time, the secretary will have the work
product that he thinks is so necessary for us to be able to fully
understand the full implications of a repeal of ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’
and then what additional measures we need to take in preparation for
that eventuality,” he said.

Morrell stressed that the Pentagon
would like to see both the defense authorization and appropriations
bills for fiscal year 2011 passed “as soon as possible.” That fiscal
year started on Oct. 1 and the Pentagon is funded through a stopgap
measure. Both bills contain critical policies and funding for the U.S.
military’s operations around the world.