Navigating the Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

The U.S. military is a microcosm of the United States and contains many different groups and subgroups. Over the years, the U.S. military successfully integrated all of these different categories, except for non-heterosexuals. They serve in the U.S. Armed Forces now and they will continue to serve in the future. Legal integration certainly raises issues for the Department of Defense, but it is not a wicked problem. There is no reason to assert that non-heterosexuals cannot display the U.S. military s core values of loyalty, dedication, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage like any other service member. This paper submits that non-heterosexuals should not be denied military membership based upon sexual orientation. This paper provides a regulatory and statutory background concerning the Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy and the Repeal Act of 2010, an analysis of the Repeal Act of 2010, a summary and analysis of the Report of the Comprehensive Review of the Issues Associated with a Repeal of Don t Ask, Don t Tell and its Support Plan for Implementation, a theoretical approach to organizational change communication, and recommendations that may add more credibility and transparency to the repeal process.