U. S. Navy Preparing Training Instruction for DADT Repeal

While various Republicans try to foment anti-gay bigotry by floating proposals to torpedo the implementation of DADT repeal - either because they are political whores, self loathing closet cases or in rare instances true believing Kool-Aid drinkers - the U.S. Navy is moving forward with instruction programs that will implement the repeal of DADT which wrote religious based discrimination into the law. DADT repeal is a big issue in the Hampton Roads area because - despite what the nutcases in the GOP like to believe - there are LOTS of gays in the military. And that includes all branches of the military in this area: Navy, Army, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. The Navy Times has an article that looks at the preparations that will impact this area with its huge number of military personnel. Here are some highlights:
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Command training — or, in some cases, online instruction — will be required for all hands as the Navy moves to lift an 18-year ban on gays serving openly, the Navy’s top officer said in a message released Friday. The training will be recorded for active-duty sailors and reservists, defense contractors and some Navy civilians, according to NAVADMIN 041/11 released by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead.
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“It is important for our sailors to understand what this change means to them, their families and our Navy,” Roughead said in the 1-minute-long video. “This change in the law ensures that qualified citizens can serve based on individual merit, fitness, and capability without regard to sexual orientation. No one is being asked to change their moral or religious beliefs.”
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Once the training is completed, the Joint Chiefs chairman, defense secretary and president will certify to Congress that repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” won’t erode readiness or harm recruiting. Sixty days later, the new policy will take effect.
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In the message, Roughead outlines three levels of training:
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• Commanders, executive officers and command master chiefs will be trained by “mobile training teams” of experts and fleet representatives. These leaders, in turn, will be expected to train their commands.
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• All hands will receive instruction on the new policy and expectations for personal behavior. In cases in which sailors are assigned to non-Navy units or are unavailable, they will complete the training with their parent command or online.
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• Separate training will be provided to those who will enforce or support the new policy, such as recruiters, judge advocates and chaplains.
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“The path to repeal of [don’t ask, don’t tell] requires informed and proactive leadership at every level,” Roughead said in the NAVADMIN message. “I am counting on each of you.”

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The Virginian Pilot has additional coveage here.