We mark the first anniversary of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. We recognize and salute the thousands of troops who were unfairly targeted and made a parody of by the policy and thank them for their service to our nation as they continued to stick by this nation and it’s safety.
On September 20, 2011, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was repealed and gays, lesbians and bisexuals were finally allowed to join (or serve openly in) the military without fear of punishment and rejection.
We mark the first anniversary of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. We recognize and salute the thousands of troops who were unfairly targeted and made a parody of by the policy and thank them for their service to our nation as they continued to stick by this nation and it’s safety.
President Obama issued the following statement about the anniversary:
A year ago today, we upheld the fundamental American values of fairness and equality by finally and formally repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ Gay and lesbian Americans now no longer need to hide who they love in order to serve the country they love. It is a testament to the professionalism of our men and women in uniform that this change was implemented in an orderly manner, preserving unit cohesion, recruitment, retention and military effectiveness.
As Commander in Chief, I’ve seen that our national security has been strengthened because we are no longer denied the skills and talents of those patriotic Americans who happen to be gay or lesbian. The ability of service members to be open and honest about their families and the people they love honors the integrity of the individuals who serve, strengthens the institutions they serve, and is one of the many reasons why our military remains the finest in the world.
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“Don’t ask, don’t tell” was one of the most controversial issues in American politics, with tens of thousands of articles and speeches on the topic. And yet, once it happened, the world did not come to an end as the media and politicians demanded it would. Enlistment rates are just as high now as they were back then.