Representative Jim Moran has asked the
military for a monthly report on “don't ask, don't tell”
discharges. His office released January figures today.
In a press release, Moran said the Army
discharged eleven gay soldiers under the 16-year-old law that bans
gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military in January.
“At a time when our military's
readiness is strained to the breaking point from the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan, the armed forces continue to discharge vital service
members under the outdated, outmoded 'don't ask, don't tell' policy,”
the Virginia Democrat said. “Our allies have overcome this issue,
facing no adverse consequences from lifting bans focused on soldiers'
sexual orientation.”
“Polls show the American people
overwhelmingly support repealing this policy. Yet, how many more
good soldiers are we willing to lose due to a bad policy that makes
us less safe and secure?” he added.
In January, among the fired were one
human intelligence collector, one military police officer, four
infantry personnel, one health care specialist, one motor transport
operator and one water treatment specialist, Moran said.
“Don't ask, don't tell” was
implemented by Congress in 1993 and signed by President Bill Clinton.
The law prescribes discharge as the remedy for gay service members
who do not remain quiet about their sexuality or do not remain
celibate.
California Representative Ellen
Tauscher recently introduced legislation in Congress that would end
the law. The next day, White House Spokesman Tommy Vietor said the
president has “begun consulting with Secretary Gates and Chairman
Mullen so that this change is done in a sensible way that strengthens
our armed forces and national security.”
Moran, a long-time opponent of the
military gay ban and a member of the Military Appropriations
subcommittee, is a co-sponsor of Tauscher's Military Readiness
Enhancement Act (HR1283).