Notes: Don’t ask, don’t tell (DADT) is the common term for the policy allowing openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals to serve in the United States military, in contravention to federal law Pub.L. 103-160 (10 U.S.C. § 654). Unless one of the exceptions from 10 U.S.C. § 654(b) applies, the policy prohibits anyone who “demonstrate(s) a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts” from serving in the armed forces of the United States, because “it would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability.”

The act prohibits any homosexual or bisexual person from disclosing his or her sexual orientation or from speaking about any homosexual relationships, including marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States armed forces. The “don’t ask” part of the policy indicates that superiors should not initiate investigation of a service member’s orientation in the absence of disallowed behaviors, though credible and articulable evidence of homosexual behavior may cause an investigation.

Violations of this aspect through persecutions and harassment of suspected servicemen and women resulted in the policy’s current formulation as don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t pursue, don’t harass. [ READ MORE ]

Colbert Slams “Maverick” McCain

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Eliminating “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”

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