The House Armed Services Committee - Don't Ask, Don't Tell Working Group hearing.

[Solly Mack]

Wednesday, March 3, 2010 – 2:30pm – 2118 Rayburn – Open




The Military Personnel Subcommittee will meet to receive testimony on a review of the Department of Defense process for assessing the requirements to implement repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”




Witnesses:


Dr. Clifford L. Stanley

Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness



Honorable Jeh C. Johnson

General Counsel of the Department of Defense

Co-Chair Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Working Group



General Carter F. Ham, USA

Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe

Co-Chair Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Working Group

Pentagon Channel

[Solly Mack]

1. Joe Wilson speaking now...wants to know if the current law is hurting anything

unit readiness, cohesion, etc.....if repealing DADT is a "military necessity"...or not.

The 800 or so a year discharged for being Gay isn't a significant number to the military's ability to do its job.

No Constitutional right to serve in the military...he's reading from some talking point paper.

[Solly Mack]

2. If Joe Wilson is your rep...you have my sympathies.

I don't think he missed a single right wing talking point.

[DevonRex]

5. What scum. And thank you for letting us know what's going on. nt

[Solly Mack]

15. You're welcome!!

[DevonRex]

3. Thankfully those talking points are easily countered.

1. It does hurt unit cohesion and readiness when a gay soldier is discharged. That soldier was part of a well trained unit and has to be replaced with someone who is not familiar with the unit and who has not yet bonded with the unit.

2. The military isn't only about numbers of troops. It's about having the best troops for the job regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender or any other descriptive.

3. The military is charged with protecting the US by the Constitution and therefore must have the best personnel in order to fulfill its duty.

[blogslut]

4. Thanks for the info

Watching now. :hi:

[Solly Mack]

16. You're welcome!!!

:hi:

[Solly Mack]

6. Stanley is making an opening statement

How the study group will go about its job...

[DevonRex]

7. Oh yeah. K&R nt

[Solly Mack]

8. Hamm is speaking. I know Hamm. Not that that means anything. lolol

He really didn't say much of anything in his opening.

[Solly Mack]

9. Davis to Johnson - clarify what the study group job is

to see if DADT can be/needs to be repealed. Because no one knew that already...snort.

Sorry...lol

to go more into detail

a repeals impact on readiness, recruiting, retention


how do you plan to get that information (still Davis asking)

Hamm answers....through surveys, asking families, wide outreach to get a wide avenue of views...etc.

[Solly Mack]

10. Wilson back up.....blech

he says there are 2 fundamental questions not being addressed

does current law undermine readiness?

will repeal improve readiness?

Wilson also worries that a repeal will be an attack on DOMA...because of benefits, etc.

[DevonRex]

11. Hell. If he just read reply #3 he'd have his answers. And I'm a vet.

[Solly Mack]

12. Wilson to Stanley - do you agree with General Conway that DADT is good as it is

Conway - in case you don't know...http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=68267

[Solly Mack]

13. Snyder...It (DADT) will be changed...America is changing, etc..

[Solly Mack]

14. Snyder to Johnson in light of 9th circuit ruling and its application within the force

9th circuit ruling...in case you don't know

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202421599251

[DevonRex]

18. Wow, that ruling is EXACTLY what I've been saying for years.

You're doing a fantastic job with this hearing and providing background information. Thank you.

[Solly Mack]

19. Thank you for being here too!!!

I'll dig up the background as I can...it helps me too.

:hi:

[Solly Mack]

17. Murphy was up...I was afk for most of it. Sorry

[slipslidingaway]

20. knr nt

[Soylent Brice]

21. kick

[Solly Mack]

22. uh...who is that? :o)

[Solly Mack]

24. delete

[Cerridwen]

23. K & R and thanks! Solly.

I can no longer watch this stuff in real time. It's gone from "making my teeth itch" to causing gum disease. *sigh*

:yourock:

[Solly Mack]

26. I've gritted mine a few times already. LOL

:hi: !!! Cerridwen

You rock too!!!

[Cerridwen]

28. I was actually thinking you probably had.

Here I've never met you and I can "picture" "you" gritting your teeth through typing the summary. LOL

:hi:

[Solly Mack]

25. Representative Johnson speaking now

Praising Murphy for fighting discrimination in the military

[Solly Mack]

27. Talking about what Congress will do/can do prior to the study group's findings

If Congress should go ahead and repeal before...

[Solly Mack]

29. *Readiness* is the BIG word of the day

[Hell Hath No Fury]

30. Thanks for keeping us posted!

:hi:

[Solly Mack]

32. You're welcome, HHNF!!

:hi:

[Solly Mack]

31. Worries about influence from higher ups and their personal views

You know...if Obama, Gates, etc.. will impact how people answer

[DevonRex]

33. Huh. He didn't worry when it went the other way. nt

[Solly Mack]

35. True that!

[Solly Mack]

34. Hamm talking about upcoming trip to Israel & how foreign militaries

deal with not discriminating.

Hamm and his "uniquely American culture"....which is either code for a bunch of bigots or he was being polite...

[Solly Mack]

36. Davis ..how will you get the views of troops without retribution for their answers

Johnson...will look into how

They could try just not seeking retribution

[Solly Mack]

37. Who is that Congress critter?

I can't see his name plate.

[Solly Mack]

39. John Fleming

Whew...I can rid myself of that thought now. LOL

[Solly Mack]

38. Taking a 30-40 minute break

[Solly Mack]

40. Thank you everyone!!!

[Solly Mack]

41. Back

[Solly Mack]

42. Asking about how to ask Gay & Lesbian troops w/o it being a violation of DADT

[Solly Mack]

43. Snyder pointing out that the military can carry out whatever Congress decides

and should they - Congress - go ahead and wrk on a repeal...if Hamm has any doubt whether they could carry out what Congress says

Hamm says he and the military will obey the law.

[Uzybone]

44. Jesus ....only 7 recs?

[DevonRex]

47. I know. It's ridiculous. This is important stuff and Solly is doing a great job.

Even posting legal opinions and articles to we can know what they're referring to in the hearing.

[Solly Mack]

45. Murphy back up

Talking about lessons to learn from other countries...no mass exodus of troops, etc.. (by lifting the ban)

None of the fears proved to have any connection to fact or reality (go figure)

[DevonRex]

48. Murphy is wonderful, don't you think? nt

[Solly Mack]

50. I'm enjoying his willingness to fight for the equal rights of all troops.

[Solly Mack]

46. Tsongas up

Doesn't want to see any member separated by giving their opinion during the study groups work

[Solly Mack]

49. Hamm says they (Hamm/Johnson) have latitude in how they go about the

inquiry process....to protect gay/lesbian troops during the study.

[DevonRex]

51. I'd be more worried that the gay and lesbian soldiers could be

trapped by giving their opinions. I want there to be NO enforcement of the law from now on and I want the law to be repealed as soon as possible.

Gay and lesbian soldiers must know that there will be no firings as a result of their honest answers when asked.

[Solly Mack]

53. I agree.

[Solly Mack]

52. Different groups/teams - within the study group...will look at different aspects.

per Hamm

[Solly Mack]

54. Davis - seek help from recruiters? Hamm...yes...all areas..all aspects

including service academies...reserve officer training corp...a broad range of input

[Solly Mack]

55. let's not bog the repeal down with minutia

that's my comment :)

[DevonRex]

57. And a damn good comment, too.

Sounds like having different teams working on various aspects could speed it up. Hopefully, anyway. I'm sure some people will drag their feet no matter what.

[Solly Mack]

56. Snyder speaking to aggressive recruitment of young people to join the military

at a time when some young people are discovering their sexuality and then telling them they can't serve...how is that fair to young people...in regards to how unfair DADT is now.

[DevonRex]

Oh boy. That hits home. I knew a soldier like that. Well, probably 2.

One was kicked out. The other managed to stay under the radar as he grew up and realized who he really was.

[Solly Mack]

59. I've seen it too...and it's heartbreaking.

Military spouse here.

[DevonRex]

60. Some are barely more than children when they enlist. And if they

come from, say, a fundamentalist background it can take quite a while until they're mature enough to understand themselves and then even to accept themselves as they are.

[Solly Mack]

62. That is so true...and the last thing they need is hostility.

[Solly Mack]

58. Murphy - country/military/security will be better off by repealing DADT

[Solly Mack]

61. The first review is due March 19 (from the study group)

They had 45 days from the time the group was formed to give Gates a review/ action report.

Also, they have to keep Congress abreast of their findings.

[Solly Mack]

63. I think that's it. Thanks again!!!!!