Don't Ask, Don't Tell

The don't ask, don't tell policy, signed in 1993 by former president Bill Clinton, was implemented as a compromise with legislature which opposed a complete repeal of the prior ban on gays in the military. The death of Seaman Allen Schindler in 1992 brought the issue of gay servicemembers to the forefront. Established under the premise of privacy, discretion and protection, the policy bans gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people from serving in the military and prevents military officials from asking probing questions or pursuing investigations of soldiers suspected of being homosexuals. Any servicemember that openly reveals their homosexuality through words or actions are discharged from service. Due to a United States military recruitment shortage and the high costs of maintaining the don't ask, don't tell policy the debate over the exclusion of gays in the military has escalated. Supporters of don't ask, don't tell are convinced that the compromise is enough to protect the privacy and comfort of heterosexual soldiers, while opponents argue that the current policy offers little or no protection for gays. Continue...