The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy dates from 1992, when then Presidential candidate Bill Clinton promised to allow gay and lesbian Americans to serve openly in the military. On January 29, 1993, shortly after his inauguration, President Clinton suspended the existing Department of Defense policy which banned gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) personnel from military service. However, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and influential members of Congress vehemently opposed the President's attempt to permanently lift the ban. This led to six months of intense Congressional and Administration discussions and hearings on the issue. The end result was the infamous "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law.
Under DADT, the military would not inquire about the sexual orientation of current and future service members. The law also said that GLB men and women would be allowed to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces unless they declared they are gay, attempted to marry a person of the same sex, or engaged in homosexual conduct. Service members who were discovered to be homosexual would be subject to dismissal.
The most commonly cited reason for continuing to force gay and lesbian service members into the closet revolves around arguments that "unit cohesion" will be negatively affected if they are allowed to serve openly. It is assumed that junior enlisted service members, mostly young men, will be uncomfortable serving next to gays. The last time any data regarding this issue were considered by lawmakers was in the early 1990's. Data collected in 2003, 2004, and 2005, however, indicate that the large majority of civilian Americans now favor allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly, as well as a majority of junior enlisted service members. The segment of the armed forces presumed least willing to work alongside openly gay service members appears to have also moved forward on the issue.
The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, H.R. 1059, was introduced into the House of Representatives on March 2nd, 2005 by Rep. Marty Meehan (D-MA). The bill seeks, "To amend title 10, United States Code, to enhance the readiness of the Armed Forces by replacing the current policy concerning homosexuality in the Armed Forces, referred to as ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell', with a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual orientation."
The Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military