President Obama's Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, announced new rules about the application of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" last week. The new rules make it so that higher level officers must oversee the fact finding inquiries if someone is outed, and also make some changes to the kinds of evidence that can be considered at those inquiries.
Evidence from third parties (former lovers of military personnel, other members of the military who find out about a soldier's orientation) must now be given under oath. And confidential information told by a soldier to their doctor, therapist, lawyer or a member of their religion's clergy cannot now be considered in the inquiries.
The Obama Administration has called for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," high ranking members of the Obama Department of Defense (civilian and military) have called for its repeal, and now Gates has made application of the existing law more difficult. Things seem to be moving towards a full repeal of the discriminatory policy by the end of the year, assuming that such a repeal can make it through the Senate without being filibustered.
(Story via the Associated Press.)
Evidence from third parties (former lovers of military personnel, other members of the military who find out about a soldier's orientation) must now be given under oath. And confidential information told by a soldier to their doctor, therapist, lawyer or a member of their religion's clergy cannot now be considered in the inquiries.
The Obama Administration has called for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," high ranking members of the Obama Department of Defense (civilian and military) have called for its repeal, and now Gates has made application of the existing law more difficult. Things seem to be moving towards a full repeal of the discriminatory policy by the end of the year, assuming that such a repeal can make it through the Senate without being filibustered.
(Story via the Associated Press.)
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