By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2012 - The Defense Department held a panel
discussion today in honor of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
Pride Month, with the Pentagon's general counsel recalling how difficult
it would have been just several years ago to believe that in 2012, gays
could serve openly in the military.
Jeh C. Johnson, DOD's General Counsel, addressed a standing room only
audience and led a panel discussion at the LGBT pride event, which
included a look into the process leading to the repeal of the "Don't
Ask, Don't Tell" law in December 2010
"As recently as three years ago, it would have been hard for many of
us, including me, to believe that in the year 2012 a gay man or woman in
the armed forces could be honest about their sexual orientation,"
Johnson said.
Johnson, along with Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, currently the commander
of U.S. Africa Command, played a large role in researching the effects
of repealing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, and its impact on military
effectiveness.
Johnson said it was difficult to envision "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
ever being repealed, or that the repeal process would proceed so
smoothly.
"It's a remarkable story, and it's remarkable because of the strength
of the U.S. military and its leadership ... We have the mightiest
military in the world. Not just because of our planes, guns, tanks and
ships. But because of our people, their ability to adapt to change, and
their respect for the rule of law, their commanders and their civilian
leaders."
Johnson recalled how he and Ham had received a mandate to conduct an
assessment of the impact on military effectiveness if the "Don't Ask,
Don't Tell" law was repealed, following Senate testimony on the matter
by then-Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, and former Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Mike Mullen.
Johnson said he and Ham "were to take 10 months and we were told to
systematically engage the force on this issue. In effect, 'Go have a
conversation with the entire U.S. military about this issue and report
back to me, the president, and the Congress what they've told you.'"
"The study we undertook was the most comprehensive engagement ever of
the military on any personnel-related matter," Johnson said. "Over the
course of 10 months we surveyed 400,000 service members and received
115,000 responses.
"[We also] surveyed 150,000 military spouses and received 44,266
responses," he continued. "[And] solicited and received 72,384 e-mails,
conducted 95 information exchange forums at 51 bases around the world,
and talked face-to-face to over 24,000 service members, many of them
[personally]."
Johnson said the working group also held 140 smaller focus groups
with service members and their families, visited the military academies,
and solicited the views of Congress, veterans groups, other countries
as well as those for and against repeal.
The research concluded with an anonymous, confidential online
conversation with 2,691 self-identified gay active duty service members.
"The results of the report are now well known," Johnson said. "The
bottom line conclusion was this -- based on all we saw and heard, our
assessment is that when coupled with the prompt implementation of our
recommendations, the risk of repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to
overall military effectiveness was low."
Johnson noted that while this was DOD's first LGBT pride event,
civilian society and other agencies in the federal government have held
such events in June for years.
"The CIA, for example, hosted a gay pride event 12 years ago," he
pointed out. "This is the first time in history such an event has
occurred at the Pentagon."
"So what should we honor today?" Johnson asked his audience noting
"for those service members who are gay and lesbian, we lifted a real and
personal burden from their shoulders. They no longer have to live a lie
in the military."
"For all of us, we should honor the professional and near-flawless
manner in which our entire U.S. military implemented and adapted to this
change and welcomed their brothers and sisters to an unconditional
place at the table," he said.
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