Senate Repeals DADT: 65-31; West Virginia's Joe Manchin was AWOL

That's the final vote and the big hurdle. Some time will be required for the details, but SLDN's Aubrey Sarvis says the Obama Administration should do its part in the first quarter of 2011.

Operation Yellow Elephant salutes Democratic Senators, including Jim Webb [VA], and those Republicans with the courage and integrity to do the right thing for our troops and our country: Scott Brown [MA], Richard Burr [NC], Susan Collins [ME], John Ensign [NV], Mark Kirk [IL], Lisa Murkowski [AK] Olympia Snowe [ME] and George Voinovich [OH].

Let's not forget West Virginia's new Democratic Senator, Joe Manchin, who didn't show up, claiming a long-planned family event. Well, Senator Manchin, there are times when the national leadership responsibility YOU sought trumps even family concerns. We're disappointed, as are all West Virginians. If you had the courage of your convictions and showed up to vote No, we would still respect you for at least considering the issue and making a decision, even if it wasn't what we wanted.

Our first Yellow Donkey is West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin!

Update: Senator Manchin apologized for missing the DADT and other votes.

DADT Update: the Senate

It's on to the Senate. Senator Scott Brown [R-MA] has announced his support for repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, joining fellow Republicans Lisa Murkowski [AK] and Olympia Snowe [ME]. Senator Susan Collins [ME] was the only Republican to support repeal December 9.

West Virginia gay veteran Pepe Johnson delivered nearly a thousand petitions to his Democratic Senator, Joe Manchin, yesterday. We thank West Virginians for making their concerns known to their new Senator, and hope he will do the right thing for our troops and our country, which is also the right thing for West Virginians.

Wherever you are, please pick up the phone: 1-202-224-3121.

The Pentagon Report on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

The Pentagon released its long-awaited Report of the Comprehensive Review of the Issues Associated with a Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Monday November 30 and we've finally read it. The first 151 pages, that is, everything but the Appendices which have even more details including a breakdown of answers to the survey questions.

Every American who cares about our military should read it. At least some of the right-wing clowns, such as the Washington Times Editorial Board, could have avoided embarrassment with the following:

Perhaps that's why the working group held 51 "information exchange forums" at bases only in the United States, Germany and Japan. Minimizing the views of those serving in combat situations in Iraq and Afghanistan helped further dilute the potential for a negative response.

Had they bothered to read the Report, they would have seen on p. 34 an explanation:

At the Secretary's direction, Independent Exchange Forums [IEFs] were not conducted in Iraq and Afghanistan to avoid interference with the missions there. However, at installations such as Fort Hood, Fort Bragg, Fort Benning, Camp Lejeune, and elsewhere, the Comprehensive Review Working Group encountered large numbers of Service members who had deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan one or more times, or were preparing to deploy. These Service members shared their perspectives concerning the impact of repeal in combat situations and deployed environments.

Our military has conducted top-down mandated training in deployed environments, including Suicide Prevention training which my unit leader in Iraq did personally; it took less than 90 minutes and was very well done. If the right-wing has so little confidence in our Department of Defense's civilian and military leadership's ability to do the right thing right, well, we don't see any of them publicly calling on heterosexuals to Be A Man! Enlist!, much less doing so themselves [if eligible], or encouraging their own relatives and friends, their circles of influence, to volunteer to Serve Our Nation in uniform.

To his credit, Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown [R] has announced his support for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell:

“I have visited our injured troops at Walter Reed and have attended funerals of our fallen heroes,’’ [Sen. Brown] said in a statement. “When a soldier answers the call to serve, and risks life or limb, it has never mattered to me whether they are gay or straight. My only concern has been whether their service and sacrifice is with pride and honor.’’

He also said he felt comfortable that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates would adopt a repeal only “when the battle effectiveness of the forces is assured and proper preparations have been completed.’’

We agree with The Washington Post's editorial yesterday: Let the Pentagon lead.

Please call your Senators [202-224-3121] to share your support for repeal and to urge the Senate to act without further delay.

Thank you.

Our Question for Senator Scott Brown

Senator Scott Brown [R-MA] sent this e-mail, Our Petition to Harvard, to his supporters September 29:

Friend,

Recently, I pointed out the irony of Harvard's policy banning ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) from campus but welcoming illegal immigrant students.

I believe Harvard's priorities are upside-down. We should embrace and honor students who want to serve their country's military, not reject them. Since criticizing Harvard last week, I have heard from many of you that share my same frustration and I have decided to take action.

We are launching a petition to send a strong message to Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust to stop excluding ROTC from the Harvard campus. I recognize that Harvard is a private institution and they have the right to determine, and pursue, their own policies. We too have a right to free speech and you can exercise this right by signing this petition to send a message to Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust.

I respect Harvard and the pre-eminent role it has in the field of higher education. That is why it's important that it shows its respect for students training to be officers in the military.

Thanks for signing the petition to help turn Harvard right side-up!

Your Senator,

Scott Brown

P.S. We have a September 30 deadline to report publicly how much money we have raised - your contribution today will sustain a strong campaign for my reelection battle.

OYE Comment:

We agree with Senator Brown that Harvard and other elite universities should welcome ROTC back to campus. In fact, supporting their fair-minded graduates in serving our nation in uniform will do more to get rid of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" - in fact as well as in law - than their current avoidance strategy. [Except for its relevance to military service, immigration policy is off-topic.]

However, Senator Brown passed up an excellent opportunity to bring about ROTC's return to Harvard on September 21, when he joined other Republicans to continue to filibuster the Defense Authorization bill including repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Perhaps Senator Brown's real concern is campaign fundraising, not "respect for students training to be officers in [our] military."

So, here's our question:

Senator Brown, given your recent vote NOT to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," do you want to "embrace and honor [all] students who want to serve [our] country's military," or just the heterosexual ones?