A study by the Palm Center at UC Santa Barbara has concluded that gays serving openly in the military are unlikely to undermine its effectiveness:

“The study was conducted by four retired military officers, including the three-star Air Force lieutenant general who in early 1993 was tasked with implementing President Clinton's policy that the military stop questioning recruits on their sexual orientation. ‘Evidence shows that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly is unlikely to pose any significant risk to morale, good order, discipline or cohesion,' the officers states.”

The study was conducted by a bipartisan panel — “Army Lt. Gen. Robert Gard, who supports Barack Obama, and Marine Corps Gen. Hugh Aitken, who backed Clinton in 1996” as well as “Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Minter Alexander, a Republican,” and “Navy Vice Adm. Jack Shanahan…a self-described Republican who opposes the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war.”

According to the AP's report, “Shanahan said he was struck by the loss of personal integrity required by individuals to carry out ‘don't ask, don't tell.” He said: “Everyone was living a big lie — the homosexuals were trying to hide their sexual orientation and the commanders were looking the other way because they didn't want to disrupt operations by trying to enforce the law.”

Recently
“Don't Ask, Don't Tell” Sexist As Well As Homophobic [tr]
'60 Minutes' Sergeant Darren Manzella Discharged Under ‘DADT' [tr]
San Francisco Street Artist Pleasures Tourists [tr]
SF Castro Residence of Gay Vet Leonard Matlovich to be Recognized [tr]