A memo put out by the Pentagon today provides insight into how the armed services plans to officially and credibly implement Don't Ask, Don't Tell's repeal.
The Washington Blade reports that military services secretaries have until the first of March to offer progress updates to Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness Clifford Stanley, who will then work with them through a process that has four clearly delineated stages: pre-repeal, certification, implementation and sustainment.
In the pre-repeal phase, activities include Tier 1 and Tier 2 level training of military leadership and reporting to Obama administration officials on the progress of implementation. For example, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness must have a monthly meeting and report to the defense secretary and the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the status of repeal.
To reach the certification phase, the Repeal Implementation Team must provide appropriate documentation to the defense secretary and chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and provide their recommendation to the president.
…
Notably, the plan states the previously mentioned idea that Tier 3 training, education of the total force, can be completed after the certification for repeal is issued.
For the implementation phase, Tier 3 training will be completed and the Repeal Implementation Team will provide progress reports every two months to Pentagon leaders.
The sustainment phase involves making policy changes as needed and refining the education and training process.
After implementation has been "certified," it will take another 60 days until DADT has officially been repealed, so this is but the beginning of what the Pentagon admits is a complicated process.
Here's a copy of the Pentagon's Report for your reading pleasure.
