The
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is reporting that
Adm. Michael Mullen, President Bush's nominee
to succeed Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, was questioned about the
military's "don't ask, don't
tell" policy on lesbian, gay, and bisexual
personnel during a Senate hearing Tuesday.
Mullen said that
while he would continue to implement the policy and
dismiss gay soldiers, he added, "I really think it is
for the American people to come forward, really
through this body, to both debate that policy and make
changes, if that's appropriate." Mullen indicated
that he would like Congress "to make its own
decisions" with respect to considering a repeal of the
ban. Pace, the current chairman of the Joint
Chiefs, ignited controversy in March when he referred to
gay sex as "immoral."
Just prior to his
nomination as chairman, SLDN says Mullen told Tthe
Brookings Institution in Washington, "If it's
time to revisit that policy...the American people
ought to raise that issue and we'll have the
debate. As a member of the Joint Chiefs and obviously the
head of one of the services, I will contribute to that
and give my best military advice."
"Admiral
Mullen's remarks are a welcome change of pace among
military leadership, where there has long been an
adversity to encouraging debate on opening the
services to lesbian and gay patriots," said Sharra E.
Greer, director of law and policy for SLDN. "As
Senator [Susan] Collins rightly pointed out, there is
growing concern among the national security
establishment that the loss of talented gay troops is having
a detrimental impact on our armed forces.
Admiral Mullen should be applauded for his
willingness to take part in a national conversation
about that issue, and for his open-minded approach to
working with Congress as they consider the future of
'don't ask, don't
tell.'" During
her questioning, Collins noted that she had recently met
with a retired admiral in Maine who "urged" her to
press Mullen to reexamine the 'don't
ask, don't tell' policy."
According to SLDN, the Military Readiness
Enhancement Act (H.R. 1246), a bill to lift the ban on
open service, is now supported by 126 members of the
House of Representatives. The supporters are drawn
from both parties. A recent poll of military personnel
found that 73% of those surveyed were comfortable
around gays, and CNN found last month that 79% of the
American public support repeal. (The Advocate)
