Editing Don't ask, don't tell (section)

==Debate==
[[File:Defense.gov photo essay 101203-F-2270A-631.jpg|thumb|General [[Norton A. Schwartz]], chief of staff of the United States Air Force, testifies on the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" before the Senate Armed Services Committee on December 3, 2010.]]

Following the July 1999 murder of Army Pfc. [[Barry Winchell]], apparently motivated by anti-gay bias, President Clinton issued an executive order modifying the [[Uniform Code of Military Justice]] to permit evidence of a hate crime to be admitted during the sentencing phase of a trial.<ref name = "burelli20">{{cite book| author = David F. Burrelli| title = Homosexuals and the U. S. Military: Current Issues| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Nvg3haJS1KIC&pg=PA20| date = February 2010| publisher = DIANE Publishing| isbn = 978-1-4379-2329-2| page = 20 }}</ref><ref>National Archives: [http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-1999-10-12/pdf/99-26670.pdf Executive Order 13140], October 6, 1999. Retrieved March 16, 2012.</ref> In December, Secretary of Defense [[William Cohen]] ordered a review of DADT to determine if the policy's anti-gay harassment component was being observed.<ref>CNN: [https://archive.today/20120708222635/http://articles.cnn.com/1999-12-13/us/pentagon.gays_1_homosexual-acts-gays-number-of-service-members "Pentagon to review don't ask, don't tell policy"], December 13, 1999. Retrieved March 16, 2012.</ref> When that review found anti-gay sentiments were widely expressed and tolerated in the military, the DOD adopted a new anti-harassment policy in July 2000, though its effectiveness was disputed.<ref name=burelli20 /> On December 7, 1999, [[Hillary Clinton]] told an audience of gay supporters that "Gays and lesbians already serve with distinction in our nation's armed forces and should not face discrimination. Fitness to serve should be based on an individual's conduct, not their sexual orientation."<ref>{{cite news|last=Nagourney|first=Adam|title=Hillary Clinton Faults Policy Of 'Don't Ask'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/09/nyregion/hillary-clinton-faults-policy-of-don-t-ask.html|access-date=January 1, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 9, 1999}}</ref> Later that month, retired General [[Carl E. Mundy Jr.]] defended the implementation of DADT against what he called the "politicization" of the issue by both Clintons. He cited discharge statistics for the Marines for the past five years that showed 75% were based on "voluntary admission of homosexuality" and 49% occurred during the first six months of service, when new recruits were most likely to reevaluate their decision to enlist. He also argued against any change in the policy, writing in ''The New York Times'': "Conduct that is widely rejected by a majority of Americans can undermine the trust that is essential to creating and maintaining the sense of unity that is critical to the success of a military organization operating under the very different and difficult demands of combat."<ref>{{cite news|last=Mundy|first=Carl E.|title='Don't Ask' Policy: Don't Call It A Failure |url=http://articles.philly.com/1999-12-20/news/25478640_1_homosexuals-gays-order-and-discipline |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107010839/http://articles.philly.com/1999-12-20/news/25478640_1_homosexuals-gays-order-and-discipline |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 7, 2012 |access-date=December 30, 2012|newspaper=Philadelphia Inquirer|date=December 20, 1999}}</ref> The conviction of Winchell's murderer, according to ''The New York Times'', "galvanized opposition" to DADT, an issue that had "largely vanished from public debate". Opponents of the policy focused on punishing harassment in the military rather than the policy itself, which Senator [[Chuck Hagel]] defended on December 25: "The U.S. armed forces aren't some social experiment."<ref>{{cite news|last=Schmitt|first=Eric|title=Gay Rights Advocates Plan to Press Clinton to Undo Policy of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/25/us/gay-rights-advocates-plan-press-clinton-undo-policy-don-t-ask-don-t-tell.html|access-date=January 11, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 25, 1999}}</ref>

The principal candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2000, [[Al Gore]] and [[Bill Bradley]], both endorsed military service by open gays and lesbians, provoking opposition from high-ranking retired military officers, notably the recently retired commandant of the Marine Corps, General [[Charles C. Krulak]]. He and others objected to Gore's statement that he would use support for ending DADT as a "litmus test" when considering candidates for the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]].<ref>''The New York Times'': [https://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/07/us/officers-riled-by-policy-on-gays-proposed-in-gore-bradley-debate.html Steven Lee Myers, "Officers Riled by Policy on Gays Proposed in Gore-Bradley Debate"], January 7, 2000. Retrieved April 8, 2012.</ref> The 2000 [[Democratic National Convention|Democratic Party]] platform was silent on the issue,<ref>American Presidency Project: [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29612 Democratic Party Platform of 2000, August 14, 2000]. Retrieved December 27, 2012.</ref> while the [[2000 Republican National Convention|Republican Party]] platform that year said: "We affirm that homosexuality is incompatible with military service."<ref>American Presidency Project: [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25849 Republican Party Platform of 2000, July 31, 2000]. Retrieved December 27, 2012.</ref> Following the election of [[George W. Bush]] in 2000, observers expected him to avoid any changes to DADT, since his nominee for Secretary of State Colin Powell had participated in its creation.<ref>ABC News: [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=122050& Julia Campbell, "Bush on Gay Rights Issues"], January 17, 2001. Retrieved April 4, 2012.</ref>

In February 2004, members of the British Armed Forces, Lt Rolf Kurth and Lt Cdr Craig Jones, along with Aaron Belkin, Director of the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military met with members of Congress and spoke at the National Defense University.  They spoke about their experience of the current situation in the UK.  The UK lifted the ban on gay members serving in their forces in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/dont-make-a-big-deal-of-ending-dont-ask-dont-tell-lessons-from-u-s-military-allies-on-allowing-homosexuals-to-serve/|title=Don't Make a Big Deal of Ending Don't Ask Don't Tell: Lessons from U.S. Military Allies on Allowing Homosexuals to Serve|last=Singer|first=Lt Col Charles McLean and Peter W.|date=May 27, 2010|website=Brookings|access-date=February 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=12QEAAAAMBAJ&q=craig+jones+mbe+gay&pg=PA32|title=The Advocate|date=March 30, 2004|publisher=Here Publishing|language=en}}</ref>

In July 2004, the [[American Psychological Association]] issued a statement that DADT "discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation" and that "Empirical evidence fails to show that sexual orientation is germane to any aspect of military effectiveness including unit cohesion, morale, recruitment and retention." It said that the U.S. military's track record overcoming past racial and gender discrimination demonstrated its ability to integrate groups previously excluded.<ref>American Psychological Association: [http://www.apa.org/about/governance/council/policy/military.aspx Proceedings of the American Psychological Association for the legislative year 2004. Minutes of the meeting of the Council of Representatives July 28 & 30, 2004, Honolulu, Hawaii]. Retrieved March 5, 2012.</ref> The [[2004 Republican National Convention|Republican Party platform that year]] reiterated its support for the policy—"We affirm traditional military culture, and we affirm that homosexuality is incompatible with military service."<ref>American Presidency Project: [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25850 Republican Party Platform of 2004, August 30, 2004]. Retrieved December 27, 2012.</ref>—while the [[2004 Democratic National Convention|Democratic Party]] maintained its silence.<ref>American Presidency Project: [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29613 Democratic Party Platform of 2004, July 26, 2004]. Retrieved December 27, 2012.</ref>

In February 2005, the [[Government Accountability Office]] released estimates of the cost of DADT. It reported at least $95.4&nbsp;million in recruiting costs and at least $95.1&nbsp;million for training replacements for the 9,488 troops discharged from 1994 through 2003, while noting that the true figures might be higher.<ref name="qkuldr">{{cite news|title=Report: 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' costs $363M |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-02-14-dont-ask-report_x.htm |access-date=March 14, 2012 |date=February 14, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080205172932/http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-02-14-dont-ask-report_x.htm |archive-date=February 5, 2008 |url-status=live  }}</ref> In September, as part of its campaign to demonstrate that the military allowed open homosexuals to serve when its workforce requirements were greatest, the [[Palm Center|Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military]] (now the Palm Center) reported that army regulations allowed the active-duty deployment of Army Reservists and National Guard troops who claim to be or who are accused of being gay. A U.S. Army Forces Command spokesperson said the regulation was intended to prevent Reservists and National Guard members from pretending to be gay to escape combat.<ref>{{cite web|last=Chibbaro |first=Lou |year=2005|title=Out gay soldiers sent to Iraq – Regulation keeps straights from 'playing gay' to avoid war |work=Washington Blade |url=http://washblade.com/2005/9-23/news/national/outiraq.cfm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516002106/http://washblade.com/2005/9-23/news/national/outiraq.cfm |archive-date=May 16, 2008 |access-date=March 6, 2006}}</ref><ref>Aaron Belkin, ''How We Won: Progressive Lessons from the Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"'' (Kindle Edition), ch. 6, paragraphs 22-5</ref> Advocates of ending DADT repeatedly publicized discharges of highly trained gay and lesbian personnel,<ref>Belkin, ''How We Won'', ch.2, paragraphs 18ff.</ref> especially those in positions with critical shortages, including fifty-nine Arabic speakers and nine [[Persian language|Persian]] speakers.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |last=Nasaw |first=Daniel |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jun/29/gay-veteran-us-army-choi |title=Don't ask, don't tell: gay veteran of Iraq takes on US army |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |access-date=November 6, 2009 |date=June 29, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Benjamin|first=Stephen|title=Don't Ask, Don't Translate|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/08/opinion/08benjamin.html|access-date=December 29, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 8, 2007}}</ref> [[Elaine Donnelly (writer)|Elaine Donnelly]], president of the [[Center for Military Readiness]], later argued that the military's failure to ask about sexual orientation at recruitment was the cause of the discharges: [Y]ou could reduce this number to zero or near zero if the Department of Defense dropped Don't Ask, Don't Tell.&nbsp;... We should not be training people who are not eligible to be in the Armed Forces."<ref name=housereview>Congress, House, Military Personnel Subcommittee, [http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-110hhrg44634/pdf/CHRG-110hhrg44634.pdf ''Don't Ask Don't Tell Review''], 110th Cong., 2nd sess., July 23, 2008, 39</ref>

In February 2006, a [[University of California]] [[Blue Ribbon Commission]] that included [[Lawrence Korb]], a former assistant defense secretary during the [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] administration, [[William J. Perry|William Perry]], Secretary of Defense in the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]] administration, and professors from the [[United States Military Academy]] released their assessment of the GAO's analysis of the cost of DADT released a year earlier. The commission report stated that the GAO did not take into account the value the military lost from the departures. They said that that total cost was closer to $363&nbsp;million, including $14.3&nbsp;million for "separation travel" following a service member's discharge, $17.8&nbsp;million for training officers, $252.4&nbsp;million for training enlistees, and $79.3&nbsp;million in recruiting costs.<ref name = "qkuldr"/>

In 2006, [[Soulforce (organization)|Soulforce]], a national LGBT rights organization, organized its [[Right to Serve Campaign]], in which gay men and lesbians in several cities attempted to enlist in the Armed Forces or National Guard.<ref>{{cite news|last=Alvarez|first=Lizette|title=Gay Groups Renew Drive Against 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/14/us/14gay.html|access-date=December 29, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 14, 2006}}</ref> Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness stated in September: "I think the people involved here do not have the best interests of the military at heart. They never have. They are promoting an agenda to normalize homosexuality in America using the military as a battering ram to promote that broader agenda." She said that "pro-homosexual activists&nbsp;... are creating media events all over the country and even internationally."<ref>ChristiansUnite.com: [http://news.christiansunite.com/Religion_News/religion05098.shtml Chad Groening, "'Coordinated' Campaign Targets Military Ban on Homosexuals"], September 21, 2006. Retrieved February 25, 2012.</ref>

In 2006, a speaking tour of gay former service members, organized by SLDN, Log Cabin Republicans, and Meehan, visited 18 colleges and universities. Patrick Guerriero, executive director of Log Cabin, thought the repeal movement was gaining "new traction" but "Ultimately", said, "we think it's going to take a Republican with strong military credentials to make a shift in the policy." Elaine Donnelly called such efforts "a big P.R. campaign" and said that "The law is there to protect good order and discipline in the military, and it's not going to change."<ref name=nytrenew />

In December 2006, [[Zogby International]] released the results of a poll of military personnel conducted in October 2006 that found that 26% favored allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, 37% were opposed, while 37% expressed no preference or were unsure. Of respondents who had experience with gay people in their unit, 6% said their presence had a positive impact on their personal morale, 66% said no impact, and 28% said negative impact. Regarding overall unit morale, 3% said positive impact, 64% no impact, and 27% negative impact.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.palmcenter.org/files/active/0/ZogbyReport.pdf |title=Opinions of Military Personnel on Sexual Minorities in the Military |year=2006 |access-date=October 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110301194434/http://www.palmcenter.org/files/active/0/ZogbyReport.pdf |archive-date=March 1, 2011 |url-status=dead  }} Respondents uncertain whether they had served with gay personnel, 2% thought gays would have a positive effect on personal morale, while 29% thought that they would have no impact and 48% thought that they would have a negative effect. Regarding overall unit morale, 2% thought that gays would have a positive effect on overall unit morale, 26% thought they would have no effect, and 58% thought they would have a negative effect. Some 73% of respondents said that they felt comfortable in the presence of gay and lesbian personnel.</ref>

Retired [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]] General [[John Shalikashvili]]<ref>{{cite news |first=Gordon |last=Lubold |title=Former JCS chairman: It's time to give 'don't ask, don't tell' policy another look |url=http://www.airforcetimes.com/issues/stories/0-AIRPAPER-2461638.php |work=Air Force Times |date=January 15, 2007 |access-date=January 13, 2007}}</ref> and former Senator and [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]] [[William Cohen]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Former Defense Secretary William Cohen Says Congress Should Re-Visit "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" |publisher=[[Servicemembers Legal Defense Network]] |date=January 3, 2007 |url=http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/former-defense-secretary-william-cohen-says-congress-should-re-visit-dont-a/ |access-date=December 22, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110112013052/http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/former-defense-secretary-william-cohen-says-congress-should-re-visit-dont-a/ |archive-date=January 12, 2011  }}</ref> opposed the policy in January 2007: "I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces" Shalikashvili wrote. "Our military has been stretched thin by our deployments in the Middle East, and we must welcome the service of any American who is willing and able to do the job."<ref name="newletter">{{cite news |first=Tom |last=Shanker |author2=Healy, Patrick |title=A New Push to Roll Back 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/us/30military.html |date=November 30, 2007 |access-date=December 29, 2012}}</ref> Shalikashvili cited the recent "Zogby poll of more than 500 service members returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, three-quarters of whom said they were comfortable interacting with gay people.<ref>Shalikashvili, John (January 2, 2007). [https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10F10F73D540C718CDDA80894DF404482& "Second Thoughts on Gays in the Military"], ''The New York Times''. Retrieved March 5, 2012.</ref> The debate took a different turn in March when General [[Peter Pace]], Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the editorial board of the ''Chicago Tribune'' he supported DADT because "homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and&nbsp;... we should not condone immoral acts."<ref>{{cite news|last=Madhani|first=Aamer|title=Don't drop 'don't ask, don't tell,' Pace says |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/03/13/dont-drop-dont-ask-dont-tell-pace-says/|access-date=December 30, 2012|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=March 13, 2007}}</ref> His remarks became, according to the ''Tribune'', "a huge news story on radio, television and the Internet during the day and showed how sensitive the Pentagon's policy has become."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Neikirk|first1=William|last2=Demirjian|first2=Karoun|title=Pace takes fire on gays remark|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2007/03/14/pace-takes-fire-on-gays-remark/|access-date=December 30, 2012|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=March 14, 2007}}</ref> Senator John Warner, who backed DADT, said "I respectfully, but strongly, disagree with the chairman's view that homosexuality is immoral", and Pace expressed regret for expressing his personal views and said that DADT "does not make a judgment about the morality of individual acts."<ref>{{cite news|last=Shanker|first=Thom|title=Top General Explains Remarks on Gays|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/14/washington/14pace.html|access-date=December 30, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 14, 2007}}</ref> Massachusetts Governor [[Mitt Romney]], then in the early stages of his campaign for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, defended DADT:<ref>{{cite news|last1=Marinucci|first1=Carla|title=Romney defends general, 'don't ask, don't tell' policy |url=http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/CAMPAIGN-TRAIL-Romney-defends-general-don-t-2569666.php|access-date=September 23, 2014 |work=San Francisco Chronicle|date=March 17, 2007}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|When I first heard [the phrase], I thought it sounded silly and I just dismissed it and said, well, that can't possibly work. Well, I sure was wrong. It has worked. It's been in place now for over a decade. The military says it's working and they don't want to change it&nbsp;... and they're the people closest to the front. We're in the middle of a conflict right now. I would not change it.}}

That summer, after U.S. Senator [[Larry Craig]] was arrested for lewd conduct in a men's restroom, conservative commentator [[Michael Medved]] argued that any liberalization of DADT would "compromise restroom integrity and security". He wrote: "The national shudder of discomfort and queasiness associated with any introduction of homosexual eroticism into public men's rooms should make us more determined than ever to resist the injection of those lurid attitudes into the even more explosive situation of the U.S. military."<ref>{{cite news|last=Medved|first=Michael|title=Larry Craig and "Don't Tap, Don't Tell" |url=http://townhall.com/columnists/michaelmedved/2007/09/05/larry_craig_and_dont_tap,_dont_tell/page/full/ |access-date=December 30, 2012|newspaper=townhall.com|date=September 5, 2007}}</ref>

In November 2007, 28 retired generals and admirals urged Congress to repeal the policy, citing evidence that 65,000 gay men and women were serving in the armed forces and that there were over a million gay veterans.<ref name="newletter" /><ref name="MSN-MilitaryView">{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=Admirals, generals: Let gays serve openly |work=NBC News |date=November 18, 2008 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna27774058 |access-date=October 13, 2009}}</ref> On November 17, 2008, 104 retired generals and admirals signed a similar statement.<ref name="MSN-MilitaryView"/> In December, SLDN arranged for ''[[60 Minutes]]'' to interview [[Darren Manzella]], an Army medic who served in Iraq after coming out to his unit.<ref>Sidki, Pelin (November 10, 2009). [https://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/11/10/vif2.dont.ask.dont.tell/ "Discharged under 'don't ask, don't tell'"]. Retrieved March 12, 2012.</ref>

In 2008, former U.S. Senator [[Sam Nunn]], who previously stalled efforts to lift the ban on gays serving in military when he was Chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, hinted a shift from his previous political views by endorsing a new [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] study to examine the issue of homosexuals serving openly in the military, stating "I think [when] 15 years go by on any personnel policy, it's appropriate to take another look at it—see how it's working, ask the hard questions, hear from the military. Start with a Pentagon study."<ref>[http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/entries/2008/06/03/says_nunn_it_might_be_time_to.html Says Nunn: It might be time to take another look at 'don't ask, don't tell'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120110221531/http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/entries/2008/06/03/says_nunn_it_might_be_time_to.html |date=2012-01-10 }}, ajc.com; accessed March 12, 2024.</ref>

On May 4, 2008, while Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral [[Mike Mullen]] addressed the graduating cadets at [[United States Military Academy|West Point]], a cadet asked what would happen if the next administration were supportive of legislation allowing gays to serve openly. Mullen responded, "Congress, and not the military, is responsible for DADT." Previously, during his Senate confirmation hearing in 2007, Mullen told lawmakers, "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." He went on to say, "I'd love to have Congress make its own decisions" with respect to considering repeal.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Tells Cadets Military Ready to Accept Gay Service Members |publisher=Servicemembers Legal Defense Network |date=May 6, 2008 |url=http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-tells-cadets-military-ready-to-accept-gay-serv |access-date=December 22, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110112042543/http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-tells-cadets-military-ready-to-accept-gay-serv/ |archive-date=January 12, 2011  }}</ref>

In May 2009, when a committee of military law experts at the [[Palm Center]], an anti-DADT research institute, concluded that the President could issue an Executive Order to suspend homosexual conduct discharges,<ref name="UCSB">{{cite web |last=Herek |first=Gregory M. |author-link=Gregory M. Herek |author2=Belkin, Aaron |author3=Frank, Nathaniel |author4=Hillman, Elizabeth L. |author5=Mazur, Diane H. |author6=Wilson, Bridget J. |title=How to End "Don't Ask, Don't Tell": A Roadmap of Political, Legal, Regulatory, and Organizational Steps to Equal Treatment |publisher=Palm Center; [[University of California, Santa Barbara]] |date=May 12, 2009 |url=http://www.palmcenter.org/files/active/0/Executive%20Order%20on%20Gay%20Troops%20-%20final.pdf |access-date=December 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218130603/http://www.palmcenter.org/files/active/0/Executive%20Order%20on%20Gay%20Troops%20-%20final.pdf |archive-date=December 18, 2010 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Obama rejected that option and said he wanted Congress to change the law.<ref>Youssef, Nancy, {{cite web |title=Judge rejects Obama's 'don't ask, don't tell' argument |date=October 20, 2010 |url=http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article24597271.html |access-date=July 14, 2015}}. In July 2009, the White House and other Democrats reportedly pressured Florida Rep. [[Alcee Hastings]] to withdraw an amendment to the [[National Defense Authorization Act]] ({{USBill|111|H.R.|2647}}) that would have prevented the military from using federal funds to expel gay service members. {{cite news |last=Clark |first=Lesley |title=Lawmaker backs off effort to fight Don't Ask, Don't Tell |work=The Miami Herald |date=July 28, 2009 |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1161451.html |access-date=July 30, 2009}}</ref>

On July 5, 2009, [[Colin Powell]] told CNN that the policy was "correct for the time" but that "sixteen years have now gone by, and I think a lot has changed with respect to attitudes within our country, and therefore I think this is a policy and a law that should be reviewed." Interviewed for the same broadcast, Mullen said the policy would continue to be implemented until the law was repealed, and that his advice was to "move in a measured way.&nbsp;... At a time when we're fighting two conflicts there is a great deal of pressure on our forces and their families."<ref name="July5_Powell_Mullen">[https://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5641A920090705 Time to review policy on gays in U.S. military: Powell], July 5, Reuters</ref> In September, ''Joint Force Quarterly'' published an article by an Air Force colonel<ref>{{cite journal|last=Prakash |first=Om |year=2009 |title=The Efficacy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" |journal=Joint Force Quarterly |volume=2009 |issue=55 |pages=88–94 |url=http://www.ndu.edu/press/lib/images/jfq-55/14.pdf |access-date=December 22, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527232604/http://www.ndu.edu//press//lib/images/jfq-55/14.pdf |archive-date=May 27, 2010  }} The article won the Secretary of Defense National Security Essay competition for 2009.</ref> that disputed the argument that unit cohesion is compromised by the presence of openly gay personnel.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rare Source of Attack on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' |first=Elisabeth |last=Bumiller |author-link=Elisabeth Bumiller |date=September 30, 2009 |access-date=December 29, 2012 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/us/01pentagon.html}}</ref>

In October 2009, the Commission on Military Justice, known as the [[Walter T. Cox III|Cox Commission]], repeated its 2001 recommendation that Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which bans sodomy, be repealed, noting that "most acts of consensual sodomy committed by consenting military personnel are not prosecuted, creating a perception that prosecution of this sexual behavior is arbitrary."<ref>Novak, Lisa M. (October 27, 2009). [http://www.stripes.com/news/panel-urges-ending-ucmj-s-sodomy-ban-1.95937 "Panel urges ending UCMJ's sodomy ban"], ''Stars and Stripes''. Retrieved February 20, 2012.</ref>

In January 2010, the White House and congressional officials started work on repealing the ban by inserting language into the 2011 defense authorization bill.<ref>{{cite news |work=Huffington Post |location=USA |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/12/dems-move-forward-with-pl_n_420180.html |first=Sam |last=Stein |date=January 12, 2010 |title=DADT Repeal: Dems Move Forward With Plans |access-date=January 14, 2010}}</ref> During Obama's [[2010 State of the Union Address|State of the Union Address]] on January 27, 2010, he said that he would work with Congress and the military to enact a repeal of the gay ban law and for the first time set a timetable for repeal.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/27/obama.gays.military/index.html |last1=Hornick |first1=Ed |last2=Ure |first2=Laurie |title=Obama Calls for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal |date=January 27, 2010 |website=CNN Politics |access-date=March 16, 2021}}</ref>

At a February 2, 2010, congressional hearing, Senator [[John McCain]] read from a letter signed by "over one thousand former general and flag officers". It said: "We firmly believe that this law, which Congress passed to protect good order, discipline and morale in the unique environment of the armed forces, deserves continued support."<ref>Joint Chiefs of Staff: [http://www.jcs.mil/speech.aspx?id=1322 "Testimony Regarding DoD 'Dont Ask, Dont Tell' Policy"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130085039/http://www.jcs.mil/speech.aspx?id=1322 |date=January 30, 2012 }}, February 22, 2010. Retrieved February 19, 2012.</ref> The signature campaign had been organized by [[Elaine Donnelly (writer)|Elaine Donnelly]] of the [[Center for Military Readiness]], a longtime supporter of a traditional all-male and all-heterosexual military.<ref>''The Guardian'': [https://www.theguardian.com/world/feedarticle/8431955 "Retired military officers: keep ban on gays"], March 31, 2009. Retrieved February 19, 2012.</ref> [[Servicemembers United]], a veterans group opposed to DADT, issued a report critical of the letter's legitimacy. They said that among those signing the letter were officers who had no knowledge of their inclusion or who had refused to be included, and even one instance of a general's widow who signed her husband's name to the letter though he had died before the survey was published. The average age of the officers whose names were listed as signing the letter was 74, the oldest was 98, and Servicemembers United noted that "only a small fraction of these officers have even served in the military during the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' period, much less in the 21st century military."<ref>Chris Johnson, [http://www.washingtonblade.com/2010/03/03/new-report-undermines-officers%E2%80%99-letter-supporting-%E2%80%98don%E2%80%99t-ask%E2%80%99/ New report undermines officers' letter supporting 'Don't Ask'], ''Washington Blade'', March 3, 2010</ref>

The [[Center for American Progress]] issued a report in March 2010 that said a smooth implementation of an end to DADT required eight specified changes to the military's internal regulations.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/lgbtq-rights/reports/2010/02/17/7331/americans-support-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell/ |last1=Krehely |first1=Jeff |last2=Teixeira |first2=Ruy |title=American Support Repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell |date=February 17, 2010 |website=Center for American Progress |access-date=March 16, 2021}}</ref> On March 25, 2010, Defense Secretary Gates announced new rules mandating that only [[flag officer]]s could initiate discharge proceedings and imposing more stringent rules of evidence on discharge proceedings.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gates eases ban on gays in the military|url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/25/military.gays/index.html|access-date=December 29, 2012|newspaper=CNN|date=March 26, 2010}}</ref>