10/21/10 Gates narrows who can OK discharges under 'don't ask, don't tell'

[Tx4obama]

Article: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4583640

p.s. There's a link there in comment #3 to the Gates' memo.

[nofurylike]

1. K&R thank you for posting this, Tx4obama. this is excellent and

very important!


peace and solidarity

[Tx4obama]

4. Your're welcome :) n/t

[MNBrewer]

2. This is neither excellent, nor important.

It is explicitly NOT intended to slow the rate of discharge for being gay and is old wine in new bottles.... nothing's changed.

[joeybee12]

3. Um, he narrowed the list about 9 months ago...

this is not really news at all, and obviously the announcement back then did nothing.

[Tx4obama]

5. It really is news and is much different that what he did nine months ago....

If you would read the whole article and the memo then you'd see that discharges are now limited to five people, and those five people are Obama appointees. And those five people are more than likely going to be too busy doing important things and not focusing on booting out gay servicemen and servicewomen.
Gates' memo is a major change and will have a huge affect on DADT.

[nofurylike]

6. absolutely!! thank you, thank you, Tx4obama nt

[TheWraith]

7. Actually, they're not all Obama appointees.

The General Counsel for the DOD, who needs to be consulted with for any discharges, is a Bush holdover, as is the Secretary of the Air Force, who is required to sign of on discharges from the USAF. Just a note.

But in general, yes, this is about as close as one can get to strangling the policy with a garrote of administrative red tape.