Group blasts DADT survey for spouses
Published: August 23, 2010
A leading advocacy group for gay and lesbian troops and veterans has blasted a Defense Department survey sent to military spouses about how they feel about repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Servicemembers United released a memo Monday that says the survey is based on the assumption that repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell” will hurt family readiness. The group also took issue with one question that asks spouses if they would move if a gay or lesbian servicemember lived in on-base housing with his or her partner.
“The question does not belong in a survey on the potential impact of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to begin with because repeal does not create federal recognition of same-sex marriages – a requirement for qualification for on-base family housing,” the memo says. “Troops with partners, girlfriends, or boyfriends, even if long-term, are not given on-base housing. This question is both misleading of the survey taker, in that it suggests that repeal would permit gay and lesbian couples to live in on-base housing, and wholly unnecessary in a survey on the impact of repeal, because this scenario would not be a result of repeal.”
In a news release, Alexander Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United, said the Defense Department should be more concerned with “real” family readiness issues such as “excessive deployments, inadequate mental health screenings and support, [and] low troop pay.”
The Defense Department’s response to Servicemembers United did not address the group’s grievances.
“We sent out 150,000 surveys on Aug 20th," said department spokeswoman Cynthia Smith in an e-mail. “These surveys are confidential and spouses have until Sept. 27th to complete and return them.”
“This survey will help the military leadership assess the impacts, if any, a change in the law commonly known as ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell’ might have on family readiness and military community life.”
Due to a switchover to a new comment system, this comment board is now closed.
