What exactly happens with DADT?

[toddaa]

The actual repeal still leaves it up to the DoD decide on when to stop the actual policy. All the happy talk ignores the fact that DADT will still be in place after the vote.

This country is so fucked up. Civil rights is not something that should require planning and implementation. You either have rights or you don't.

[kenny blankenship]

1. You're correct that the legislation doesn't immediately repeal DADT - it's pending Pentagon approval

of new policies for how they will deal with the apparently incredibly difficult subject of the presence of gays in the military, who are already there. No one knows how long this will take.
It remains to be seen also how the next Congress, led by Repukes, will approach the implementation of this policy review.

This doesn't have the same force as a Constitutional finding by the judiciary that discrimination against homosexuals in the armed forces is unConstitutional. It can be done and then undone, anytime the political conditions change.

[Tx4obama]

5. What are you talking about?

Where did you read that the republican House has something to do with 'the implementation of policy review' ?
Once Obama signs the bill, it will be the job of the Pentagon/DoD to certify before the implementation of the new rules.
What exactly is it that you think the House is going to do?
The President is the Commander in Chief of the military, not the House of Representatives/Congress.

[Tx4obama]

6. Okay I found what you're talking about....

Excerpt:

.... after Obama signs the repeal into law, he -- along with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Defense Secretary -- must issue a certification stating the Pentagon is prepared to implement the repeal in a manner that won't hurt readiness, effectiveness, cohesion or recruiting. DADT will still be law until 60 days after certification. Until then, therefore, servicemembers are still at risk of being discharged or investigated.

"I respectfully ask Defense Secretary Robert Gates to use his authority to suspend all 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' investigations during this interim period," said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the advocacy group Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. "Until the President signs the bill, until there is certification, and until the 60-day Congressional period is over, no one should be investigated or discharged under this discriminatory law."

According to Metro Weekly both Sens. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Carl Levin (D-Mich.) endorse this approach.

A Defense Department spokeswoman told the Huffington Post, "The current law remains in effect until certification takes place. As Secretary Gates has said in his statement , the Department will immediately proceed with the planning necessary to carry out this change carefully, methodically but purposefully." The White House did not return a request for comment.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said he will sign on to certification "only after careful consultation with the military service chiefs and our combatant commanders and when I am satisfied that those conditions have been met for all the Services, commands and units." Although several of the service chiefs advocated against repeal during their testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, they all said they were confident they could implement the change and make it work.

"Certification and the 60-day Congressional requirement must be wrapped up no later than the first quarter of 2011," Sarvis told ABC News. "The bottom line: for now, gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members must remain cautiously closeted."

During this two-month period, Congress may hold hearings to review the Pentagon's policies and plans for implementation, which would likely re-air many concerns of opponents who were against repealing DADT in the first place.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/19/lgbt-groups-warn-servicemembers-reenlist-_n_798848.html
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So, Congress 'may' hold hearing to review the Pentagon's policies and plans for implementation --- but I do not see where they have any power to 'dictate' what the Pentagon eventually does.

[MiniMe]

2. And a straight repeal is not what is wanted

Before DADT was enacted, there was witch hunts on gay people in the military. DADT was a stepping stone to get to letting gays and lesbians serve openly.

[toddaa]

3. The whole thing is a charade

It just seems to me that all these stepping stones don't actually lead anywhere. Either LGBTs have equal rights or they don't. But what do I know? I actually believe in the KISS principle.

[Tx4obama]

4. There have NOT been any discharges under DADT since at least October 21st

CNN article regarding no discharges since Oct 21: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/11/30/dadt.discharges/index.html?eref=edition_us
AND
Gates narrowed who can OK discharges under 'don't ask, don't tell': http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4583640