Latest News

Military General: No Evidence DADT has Improved Military Effectiveness

U.S. Senator Mark Udall, Colorado

March 18, 2010

Military General to Udall: No Evidence ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ has Improved Military Effectiveness
At Hearing on Bill to Repeal DADT, Answers to Udall’s Questions Support Argument that ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is Harmful to National Security

Washington, D.C. – Today, in response to questions from U.S. Senator Mark Udall, a military general and an opponent of repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” acknowledged that although more than a dozen studies have been conducted over 20 years, there is no evidence to support the assertion that open service harms unit cohesion and good order and morale.

The statement, from Marine Corps General John Sheehan during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on a bill to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” supports Senator Udall’s belief that the law is outdated and that dismissing service members based only on sexual orientation is harming our national security. Senator Udall is an original co-sponsor of the bill to repeal the 1993 law.

“After 17 years, there is ample evidence that ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is harming our national security – and absolutely no evidence that the law is making us safer, and today’s hearing reinforces that,” Senator Udall said afterward. “With our country in two wars, we need all qualified service members to fight. We’re closer to repealing this law than we’ve ever been, and I’m going to keep pushing to see it become reality.”

The following is a partial transcript of the exchange between Senator Udall and General Sheehan:

Senator Udall: You said we ought to prove that open service improves military effectiveness. You did also mention that this shouldn’t be about enlightenment and there is a different standard to serve in the military than there is to be a United States citizen. I agree completely. This isn’t, for me, about feeling good or feeling like we’re pushing society to be more open. For me, it is that we’re in a situation where there are 14,000 Americans who have been discharged, who have served honorably and with great effectiveness…. You were saying we need to prove that open service improves military effectiveness. Has anybody proved that the current law improves effectiveness?

General Sheehan: Not that I know of, Senator.

Later, during his questioning, Senator Udall asked two former service members, who were dismissed under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” whether their experiences led them to believe that the law was working. Both answered, “No.” Former Navy Lt. Jenny Kopfstein went on to say that trust and morale among those she served with were better after she was open about her orientation.

Senator Udall: It seemed to me that you were making the case [during testimony] that when you live a lie, morale isn’t as high as it could be – not only for you as an individual, but for those with whom you serve – whether they’re your subordinates or superiors.

Lt. Kopfstein: Absolutely. People can sense when you’re not being fully honest with them, and they get the sense that you’re holding back and that there’s something strange about you. Not only does that make them curious, but it makes them not necessarily trust you completely, and trust is something that you have to have for unit cohesion and morale. If there is no trust, there is no teamwork. And under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” it is very difficult to have trust.

Senator Udall has been a longtime opponent of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” More information about his work is available HERE.

An archived webcast of today’s hearing is available HERE.

Please contact Tara Trujillo at (303) 293-0505 or Jennifer Talhelm at (202) 224-4334.

###

Click here to read the original article.