The reasons for repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) are long and far-reaching. And that list of reasons grows longer each day. The implications that DADT has had have not only affected our country financially, emotionally and socially but they have also impacted our military’s ability to remain steadfast while fighting in two wars.
Most of the arguments in favor of keeping DADT intact are either out of fashion or are simply based on personal prejudices that should have no impact on our military’s ability to do its job.
The Financial Impact of DADT: The economy here at home is still struggling and families are hurting. We are just barely coming out of one of the worst economic crises in the history of our country. Yet the cost of DADT on taxpayers has been close to $1.3 billion dollars. The cost of discharging troops comes out of taxpayer dollars. The cost of recruiting and training each new service member is around $60,000. One must also factor in the additional costs of prosecuting each service member who admits that he or she is gay. Is this a cost we’re really willing to continue paying?
The Emotional Cost of DADT: The effects of having a member of an immediate family member deployed are deep. This is why the military provides services to help the families of military personnel who are deployed. These services are not extended to partners, spouses or children of gay military members because they are not allowed to openly communicate with their loved ones while they are deployed. They cannot take advantage of services provided because they must keep their relationship secret. Imagine a spouse who can’t be contacted when their loved one has been injured or killed during combat. The emotional scars of having a loved one at war are deep and no one should have to face the challenges of being a military family alone.
The Social Impact of DADT: According to Pentagon data, women make up only fifteen percent of the armed forces yet they account for almost half of all DADT discharges from the Army and Air Force. And U.S. Census data shows that African American women with same-sex partners serve in the military at 11 times the rate of women overall and that African American women are discharged under DADT at three times the rate that they serve in the military. While many opponents of DADT focus on the discrimination DADT showers on the gay community, they tend to miss the fact that DADT, in essence, forces the number of women, especially African American women, to remain to remain low.
The Impact of DADT on the Strength of the military: Since 1994 there have been over 13,000 service members discharged due to DADT. In the last five years alone over 800 critical mission combat troops have been discharged, which includes 50 of the very vital Arabic Linguists. The United States military loses on average of two troops a day related to DADT. This fact is unsettling, because last month President Obama announced he would be sending 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.
Great Britain, Israel, Australia, and Canada along with most of our NATO allies, allow gays to openly serve in the military. This decision has shown no negative impact on recruitment, unit cohesion, or morale. In fact here in the United States the FBI, CIA, and NSA all allow gay and lesbians to openly serve, with no issues.
Feelings regarding DADT have changed drastically over the years. When DADT was implemented 44 percent of people polled felt gays should be able to serve openly in the military. In 2001 that number had jumped to 66 percent. An ABC News poll last year showed that 75 percent of people questioned felt that gays should be able to openly serve in the military.
As far as feelings in the military go, a 2006 Zogby poll of military personnel showed that of members polled, 73 percent are comfortable with lesbians and gays. And 23 percent (nearly one in four) service members reported knowing that someone in their unit is lesbian or gay. That includes 21 percent of those in combat units.
The time for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” if there ever was one, has long since come and gone. It’s time to stop tying the hands of the military with DADT and allow the brave men and women who choose to fight for our country the chance to do so.
