Pentagon makes it harder to get rid of gay and lesbian military service members
Thu. October 21, 2010 7:26 PM by GoPride.com News Staff
Washington, D.C. -
As the military's policy on gays and lesbians becomes a moving target, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that removing gay servicemembers is a job only to be handled by the top of the chain of command.
"Effective immediately and until further notice, no military member shall be separated... without the personal approval of the secretary of the military department concerned, in coordination with the under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness and the general counsel of the Defense Department," Gates wrote in a memo. "These functions may not be delegated."
On Wednesday, an appeals court lifted an injunction placed by a lower court on the enforcement of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. The full appellate court will rule next week on the issue.
In the meantime, gay and lesbian servicemembers are being encouraged to keep their mouths shut.
"This Pentagon guidance memo does not end DADT," said a statement from the pro-gay Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. "It is still in place, and service members should not come out."
"Effective immediately and until further notice, no military member shall be separated... without the personal approval of the secretary of the military department concerned, in coordination with the under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness and the general counsel of the Defense Department," Gates wrote in a memo. "These functions may not be delegated."
On Wednesday, an appeals court lifted an injunction placed by a lower court on the enforcement of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. The full appellate court will rule next week on the issue.
In the meantime, gay and lesbian servicemembers are being encouraged to keep their mouths shut.
"This Pentagon guidance memo does not end DADT," said a statement from the pro-gay Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. "It is still in place, and service members should not come out."