Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Addressing the Ripple Effects
Abstract
On the campaign trail and within his first 100 days in office, President Obama made his intent clear - he will repeal the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy. Once Congress lifts the policy, there will be challenges the senior leaders will face with implementation, and there are several second and third order effects for consideration. Strong leadership and discipline can overcome the challenges of implementation, but it is important for the policy makers to understand the significance of the second and third order affects of repealing the policy. This paper first provides a historical perspective of homosexuality in the military. The paper also explores the challenges the military faced when integrating race and links these to the integration of homosexuals. The research will look at current societal opinions of allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. military. Furthermore, research will review studies from other organizations that implemented a similar change in order to address challenges of repealing the ban. Also, the study will examine the potential costs involved in lifting the ban. Finally, the paper will provide recommendations for strategic leaders on the implementation of the policy change.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 25, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA518314
Entities
People
- Ramona Plemmons
Organizations
- United States Army War College