DADT: Pentagon Authorizes Homosexual Weddings

Though “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has been repealed, its controversies continue.

Military chaplains can preside over same-sex marriages on military installations in places where same-sex marriage is not prohibited by state and local laws, according to a new Pentagon policy unveiled Sept. 30.

Having the ability to “preside over” ceremonies was never really in question.  Rather, the grand controversy was the use of federal facilities to conduct ceremonies not recognized by federal law.  Though not specifically referring to same-sex ceremonies, this, too was addressed:  Read more

DADT: Ambiguity, Calls for Protections Continue with Repeal

A US Department of Defense news release indicated the Defense Department was “set” for the repeal of the policy most commonly known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  The release had an interesting statement regarding policy changes:

While many changes in policies and regulations already have taken place, some changes in how repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law will be implemented must wait until after the law takes effect.

These policies and regulations will be promulgated tomorrow [Tuesday], the Pentagon press secretary said.

This was elsewhere described as

As soon as the ban is lifted, the Defense Department will publish revised regulations to reflect the new law that will allow gays to serve openly. The revisions [include] eliminating references to banned homosexual service…

This appears to be some of the “missing” information Read more

Congress Calls for Delay in Tomorrow’s DADT Repeal

The Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Representative Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA), and committee member Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) have called on the Department of Defense to delay the planned repeal of the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

The Committee and others have complained the DoD has failed to provide any of the documentation required for the certification to the President that occurred two months ago.  The documentation was supposed to cover policies and regulations implementing repeal.

Since it is evident that the department does not have final, approved policies in place, we believe it is essential that you take immediate action to Read more

DADT: The Ethical and Moral Foundation of the US Army

The Army has been continuing to brief its basic trainees on the upcoming permissible service by open homosexuals.

At Fort Jackson…Capt. Guy Allsup…recently walked 231 nervous basic training recruits through scenarios…

“Does anybody think that this is going to be a drastic change for deployed soldiers?” Allsup called out to the group.

Ignore the paradox of an officer asking new recruits if things will “change.”  The trainees’ answer:  Read more

DADT: Gray Areas and Military Benefits

An article from the northwest highlights the “training” on DADT repeal that occurred at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which one Captain said was “not a lot of change.”

Captain Ben Schneller, who delivered the briefings as an Army company commander, also expressed a bit of confusion after giving the training:

Schneller sounds confident…but he’ll have to work through a few gray areas that are arising because of the Defense of Marriage Act…

For example, line commanders will have to decide whether to grant emergency leave in certain situations for gay soldiers if their partners become seriously ill. Schneller says he faces the same choice with any soldier whose relatives fall sick.

The article contains the first reference to the Department of Defense officially endorsing the “loophole” groups have advocated to allow homosexuals Read more

Chaplains Consider DADT Repeal, Loss of DOMA

FoxNews notes a gathering of Chaplains and endorsers who are forming a “coalition” to

provide legal and other support for chaplains and soldiers who might be disciplined over conflicts concerning their views on homosexuality.

According to the article, the Chaplains and their endorsers are concerned about how the integration of openly homosexual military members will actually play out — not just how the DoD says it will.

The article explains the disconnect, when the military responded to the questions with a standard refrain:

“We’re working under the assumption that DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act) is the law of the land and we haven’t been working in anticipation of anything else right now,” said [Chaplain Carleton Birch, spokesperson for the Army Chief of Chaplains].

Retired Chaplain (COL) Ron Crews has helped found the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, and says that’s precisely Read more

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