(Washington, D.C.) On July 21, Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis issued the following statement in response to reports that certification of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” by the Pentagon will be announced July 22:
“This Pentagon certification received by the White House this afternoon is welcomed by gay and lesbian service members who have had to serve their country in silence for far too long. The troops and their commanders are ready. Our nation’s top military leaders have testified that commanders see no significant challenges ahead. The official certification to Congress that the armed forces are prepared for the end of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ should go to Capitol Hill tomorrow with the President’s signature.”
From Alexander Nicholson, Executive Director of Servicemembers United, the nation’s largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans:
“The timing of this announcement is in line with our expectations about Secretary Panetta waiting to settle into his new position at the Pentagon, surveying the landscape, and seeking feedback from his chiefs and commanders before making a move on certification. We are glad to see that just three weeks into his tenure as Secretary of Defense, he is already confident that this policy change can take place with little or no disruption to military readiness.”