DoD officials mum on DADT opinions - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

DoD officials mum on DADT opinions

It was a day for congressional pontificating on whether to repeal the law banning open military service by gays — and for the Pentagon’s new top personnel official and the two officials leading a 10-month review of the issue to keep their opinions to themselves.

But no sparks flew during a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee’s military personnel panel, with two Republican lawmakers who oppose repeal, South Carolina’s Joe Wilson and Louisiana’s John Fleming, making understated arguments that the impact of the current ban is negligible and does not adversely affect military readiness.

The three Defense Department officials did not bite on those or any other issues and spent the hearing side-stepping inquiries about their personal opinions.

Both civilian officials said they understood that while they are part of the administration of President Obama, who has called for repeal of the law, they are not going public with their thoughts.

“My job [is] obviously not only to be open-minded and objective, but to be ready if Congress actually repeals the law,” said Clifford Stanley, a retired Marine major general barely two weeks into his new job as undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

Nor was an opinion forthcoming from Pentagon General Counsel Jeh Johnson, who is simultaneously producing short-term legal advice for Defense Secretary Robert Gates on whether current policy can be softened within the law.

The one military official, Gen. Carter Ham, U.S. Army Europe commander, said his personal view is that “it’s very important that we understand the impacts of repeal, should it occur.”

Ham did describe in greater detail the “comprehensive review” Gates has charged him and Johnson with leading and completing by Dec. 1, telling subcommittee chairwoman Rep. Susan Davis, D-Calif., that they will seek a “wide variety of views” by way of a yet-to-be-determined “survey instrument” of service and family members.

That effort will be buttressed, he said, by meetings with focus groups. “I think that personal interaction is very important,” Ham said.

The review team will also rely on input from online social media “from within the Department of Defense and without.”

Ham also said the group will create a mechanism that will allow gays currently serving in the military to express their views without triggering investigations and subsequent discharges now required by law.

“I’m not sure how we’re going to do that just yet,” Ham said. “We will find a way.”

Ham added that the group will also seek input from veterans who have been separated under “don’t ask, don’t tell.”