Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Say It's Time to End "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

by Michael Jones · 2010-12-03 15:49:00 UTC
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Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen. Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Conservative talk radio host Dr. Laura Schlessinger. And the mother of a 9/11 hero.

What do they all have in common? Each of them supports getting rid of the U.S. military's flawed and discriminatory policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." And now, joining them, is one of the biggest veterans' organizations in the country, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). After two days of testimony in the U.S. Senate on the Pentagon working group study about how to implement a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," IAVA weighed in, saying that it's time to get rid of the ban on gay and lesbian troops.

“IAVA shares Secretary Gates’ and Admiral Mullen’s opinion that upholding the integrity of the military as an institution is critical. All men and women who have committed their lives to service and sacrifice in our military should be treated equally,” IAVA Founder and Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff stated. (Rieckhoff is also a Changemaker here at Change.org, and you can check out some of his recent posts here.)

Rieckhoff added that if the U.S. Senate fails to pass a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which is included as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, it could cause major problems for the U.S. military. And that's because there's a federal court challenge arguing that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is unconstitutional. Earlier this Fall, a federal court judge ruled that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," is in fact unconstitutional, and if her ruling is held up, the courts will be the ones dictating military policy, and not the military itself.

"Allowing the courts to decide this issue could result in an overnight repeal that may not allow adequate preparation time for troops on the ground. Our military needs clear leadership and guidance on this policy to maintain the highest level of cohesion, effectiveness and readiness. That clarity can only come with legislative action now. We urge the Senate to move quickly to pass the National Defense Authorization Act, including the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' provision," Rieckhoff said.

So there you have it. One of the largest organizations comprised of veterans and troops serving in the current conflicts think that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has got to go. Isn't it time the U.S. Senate started listening to the folks actually fighting our wars, not to mention super majorities of the American public, and get this law repealed?

Photo credit: U.S. Army

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.

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