Only 10% of DADT Surveys Turned In
This morning the Army News Service reported that only around 10% of the 400,000 surveys issued to service members had been returned so far. While service members have until August 15 to provide their responses, the Pentagon is disheartened with the results so far.
This survey is to be followed by a similar survey of 150,000 military families in August. These surveys are part of the repeal process, intended to inform the Pentagon of issues that the repeal process may pose. The survey was doubled from its original size at the request of Secretary Gates so “a significant percentage of the force” could express their views.
On July 9, SLDN issued a warning to lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members about the survey:
"At this time SLDN cannot recommend that lesbian, gay, or bisexual service members participate in any survey being administered by the Department of Defense, the Pentagon Working Group, or any third-party contractors. While the surveys are apparently designed to protect the individual’s privacy, there is no guarantee of privacy and DOD has not agreed to provide immunity to service members whose privacy may be inadvertently violated or who inadvertently outs himself or herself. If a service member still wishes to participate, he or she should only do so in a manner that does not reveal sexual orientation."
You can read the full text of our warning here.
07-27-10 By David McKean, Staff Attorney |
5 Comments
Comments for this entry are closed.Andy Smith in Southern California on July 29, 2010 at 09.17 pm
Did anyone notice that the survey was 100 questions? As Tom C noted above, military folks have much more important things to worry about. Further, whoever thought that mostly 18-24 year olds would take their valuable off time to answer 100 (fairly dry) questions in a survey?
Tom Carpenter in Los Angeles on July 28, 2010 at 09.17 am
This survey is objectionable in many ways. First, as a matter of military personnel policy it should never have been created. Since when does the military survey troops on these issues. Certainly didn’t do so when they recently belatedly decided to allow women to serve on submarines. Second, the framing is often biased as is the language. Finally, the level of protection from DADT afforded GLB servicemembers is inadequate. All this aside, my take is that the likely respondents fall into three categories. First, will be the homophobes who are adamantly against open and honest service. Second will be LGB servicemembers who take the risk of taking the survey. The vast majority of service members just don’t give a damn because they have more important problems to worry about, including multiple deployments with minimal dwell time. This last category is the most important and is the clear message the Pentagon should take away from the process-The force is ready so get on with it. There is no good reason to delay. As already demonstrated by our closest allies implementation is all about leadership.
Jake in CONUS on July 28, 2010 at 08.51 am
Perhaps the surveys never arrived in 400,000 email mailboxes. There are an estimated 500,000 Personnel in the Reserve Components. If 200,000 were to receive the survey, then 2 out of every 5 RC soldiers, airmen, marines, and sailors should have received an invitation to complete the survey. I don’t know anyone that has received an email… Perhaps the “random sample” wasn’t so random after all….
Michael @ LeonardMatlovich.com on July 27, 2010 at 05.01 pm
OR perhaps the reason so few have participated is that they know how the military REALLY works!
Ultimately, it matters not how many participate in the “study” nor where they fall on the Kinsey Scale; nor how much time it takes nor how much money it costs. The “results” of the “study” will “be” exactly what the person who will announce them to the “Commander-in-Chief” and Congress and the mewing MSM wants them to “be,” and that person is President Gates, excuuuuuuuuuuse me, SECDEF Gates.
Out gays allowed? Some out gays allowed? Out gays banned? Pleaase place your bets. Bu please stop wasting your time imagining any other fairy tale ending like “truth.”
RJ in Stockton CA on July 27, 2010 at 03.45 pm
Perhaps there is a lack in turn ins because service members know its not an issue and don’t want to waste their time?