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"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repealed: What Happens Next?

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President Obama has signed a law repealing the policy. How will the military make it all work? We look at implementing the future.

U.S. Army partrol in Afghanistan. (AP)
U.S. Army patrol in Afghanistan. (AP)

The House has passed it. The Senate has passed it. And today, President Obama signed legislation formally repealing the "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy that has governed gay service in the U.S. military.

From today onward, the American military – like the militaries of many other nations – is on a new path: open gay and lesbian military service will be the law of the land.

But it’s not military policy – yet. That will take a little time, by this law, to implement. And how will it be implemented, exactly?

We look at implementing open, gay military service in America.
-Tom Ashbrook
Guests:

Anna Mulrine, defense correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor. Read her article "Beyond 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'"

Seth Moulton, Marine and former platoon officer in Iraq. He served as serserved as a liaison to senior Iraqi military and political leaders south of Baghdad for General Petraeus.

Godmund Schick, former Army staff sergeant who is openly gay. He wrote a post for the New York Times' "At War" blog about why he left the military.

Peter Mansoor, retired colonel in the U.S. Army and graduate of  West Point. He is professor of military history at Ohio State University.

This program aired on December 22, 2010.

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