Washington D.C. – The House Armed Services Committee voted on Wednesday to require the four military service chiefs to certify that repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) law will not negatively impact combat readiness and effectiveness. The amendment, offered by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), was approved by a vote of 33-27.
As the implementation of the repeal continues in the midst of combat operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world, the opinion of the service chiefs is critically informative as to the best way forward for the military.
“The four military service chiefs are far more closely connected to the day-to-day realities facing each respective service branch than those who are currently required to sign off on the repeal – including the President,” said Hunter.
“The President, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs should all take part in the certification process, but excluding the service chiefs is a mistake. They may agree to move forward with the repeal or they may have other recommendations for implementation and timing. Either way, their unvarnished perspective is critical to this process—especially as it relates to preserving the military’s high rate of effectiveness.”
Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.) applauded Rep. Hunter’s amendment as an opportunity to answer lingering questions about how the repeal would impact military readiness. “My concern with the repeal is fundamentally about the effects on readiness, recruitment, and retention. This certification will hopefully provide us with definitive answers on these concerns.”
Just last month, Army Chief of Staff General George Casey wrote to McKeon and said, “I believe that it is too early to say what the impact on implementation of the repeal of DADT will have on our morale, unit cohesion, good order, discipline, recruiting and retention in the Army.” The certification approved by the committee will provide an open and transparent mechanism for the service chiefs to register their opinion in view of all the facts.
For more information about the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, please visit the “NDAA Home” at ArmedServices.House.Gov.
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