Training for repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell ongoing for Airmen

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• CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT OF THE AIR FORCE JAMES A. ROY • GENERAL NORTON A. SCHWARTZ

Training for repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell ongoing for Airmen

Posted 3/29/2011

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by Tech. Sgt. Jess Harvey
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

3/29/2011 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Air Force officials began training Airmen March 1 in anticipation of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell with a goal of having all Airmen trained on or about June 30.

Commanders throughout the Air Force will schedule commander's calls or other such events to ensure face-to-face training is available to as many Airmen as possible. But, in some cases, Airmen unavailable to attend the commander-sponsored training events will be able to complete make-up training online.

"This training will bring our Airmen up-to-speed on the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, its effects on DOD policies and how those policies will affect our Airmen, their organizations and the military community at large," said Ladonna McGrew, Air Force education and training representative for the DOD Repeal Implementation Team. The training was developed to help Airmen understand what is expected of them and to address upcoming changes to DOD policy and the culture within the Air Force.

Officials from all of the services worked together in coordination with the DOD Repeal Implementation Team to assess how best to implement this training with enough flexibility to allow commanders to tailor it to their needs while keeping the base-line training standard throughout DOD . The training was designed to enable leaders to teach Airmen how DOD policy changes will affect them and to reduce the stigmas associated with the changes.

Respect of others is nothing new for Airmen and the training was designed to make sure they continue to treat each other with the dignity and respect that is intrinsic to the military as a whole, McGrew said. That is why the main message throughout the training is "Leadership, professionalism, discipline and respect."

"The key theme was to convey to our Airmen an expectation in which an individual's sexual orientation remains a person's personal and private matter," she said.

The training was designed not to force people to change, but instead to reinforce Airmen's acceptance of each other, regardless of personal, private, or cultural differences.

According to the online version of the training, "The DOD maintains its zero-tolerance policy of harassment, violence or discrimination of any service member."

Addressing the concerns of some Airmen, while reinforcing current military rules, the training states that, in appropriate circumstances and within the limitations of law and policy, Airmen may still express their moral or religious beliefs regarding sexual orientation, but it can't be to the detriment of good order and discipline.

"In today's U.S. military, people of very different moral values and religious convictions already coexist, work, live and fight together on a daily basis," the training states. In the same context, the training also tells Airmen that they do not have the right to refuse duty based on moral objections to another's sexual orientation.

That statement was based on the manual for courts-martial regarding a service member's obligation to obey orders. It states, "The dictates of a person's conscience, religion or personal philosophy cannot justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order."

Chaplains are not expected to take actions inconsistent with their religious beliefs, but that's not a new concept, according to the training. Chaplains already serve Airmen of many different cultures and moral backgrounds and do so with the utmost respect and professionalism.

During the training's introduction video, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy voiced his faith in Airmen to accept and ensure the success of these changes.

"Throughout this process, the conduct we expect of Airmen will not change," the chief said. "We know that each of you will approach this issue professionally and will continue to adhere to the core values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence In All We Do."

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz echoed the chief, stating his belief that Airmen will successfully implement the change.

"I do not expect Airmen to change their personal beliefs, but I do expect Airmen to continue to treat each other as members of the Air Force family with dignity and respect," the general said. "By following our core values, we will successfully implement this change with the same unparalleled professionalism we have demonstrated with every transformation we have undertaken in both peace and war."

Comments

7/27/2011 7:42:34 AM ET
@ oldsarg, there is a big difference between two consenting adults being together and someone with zoophilia. i am glad we are allowing people to serve and fight for their freedoms. no one chooses to be homosexual. they are born that way and deserve the same respect you get in life.

gdub, fl

5/16/2011 3:04:49 PM ET
The simple fact that I have to point this out is reflective of how moronically politically correct we have become. When people reach the point where they realize men laying with men, women laying with women or men laying with animals is not natural, we will begin telling the truth to each other again. Everything should start with honesty.

OldSarg, South Dakota

4/13/2011 3:07:16 PM ET
DADT is finally finding its deserved resting place. Who really cares about what people do behind closed doors EXCEPT Russian spies. OK a little hyperbole. When I attended the training it brought up an interesting scenario. CCs and supervisors were supposed to uphold the repeal regardless of belief BUT the catch is here... The military does NOT recognize same-sex marriages but the military still recognizes the silly co-habitation rule. We were told that the military will only prosecute the co-habitation rule on same-sex stuff IF there is a problem with mission effectiveness or similar. Do you see a problem with that? Yeah... Those same people who don't like the repeal will say so-and-so just caused a problem with the mission because he or she was co-habiting with a same-sex person. So you see, DADT really isn't repealed, just swept under the rug for some vicious CC to bring out and burn.

Eric Johnson, New Jersey

4/5/2011 11:14:23 PM ET
RMA - I do anticipate the standard being held across the board. A lawful order is a lawful order and it has been made clear to me that rooming assignments are lawful orders. Disobedience should be handled through standard practice.

Analyst, Barksdale

4/5/2011 3:01:45 PM ET
leftout 80 percent - I did not state that the entire DOD was surveyed. I stated that enough individuals were surveyed that the results are representative of the true opinions of the entire DOD. Voting on the issue would not have produced significantly different results.

Analyst, Barksdale

4/5/2011 2:58:18 PM ET
@Analyst the training is the corporate line. However do you really think the services will want the press that will come with the court martial of a GLBT who refused to room with a hetero? Probably not. They would be portrayed as a victim of the big bad military. Trust me there will be a double standard....

RMA, SA

4/4/2011 1:40:03 AM ET
This regulation is going to reverse if the MEO complaints get to it. To the one talking about the entire DOD was surveyed-did you get the survey? A very big majority and critical majority were excluded from doing this survey meaning the whole DOD didn't get to participate. It was the majority that didn't get to participate that made all that commentary that was ignored.

leftout 80 percent, AL

4/1/2011 12:12:07 PM ET
RMA - the training makes it clear that military decisions and treatment should be independent of sexual orientation.

Analyst, Barksdale

4/1/2011 11:16:14 AM ET
@SM turn that on its head what will they do when a homosexual does not want to room with a hetero. It will be interesting to see how they handle that one. I hope they apply the lawful order rules both ways.

RMA, SA

4/1/2011 10:17:41 AM ET
TS-102 - The entire DOD was surveyed the policy applies to the entire DOD the entire 'directly affected' group was surveyed. Even if you think too many people were surveyed they have results broken out by any demographic you care about so my statement is still valid. You should read the report it covers the survey in detail. I missed the official notice that we can now lie and perform shoddy work. I think all three core values still apply. You can still have a religious or moral disagreement with homosexuality and not lie steal or cheat.

Analyst, Barksdale

3/31/2011 11:44:36 AM ET
The training was informative. Nice to see the straight person that refuses to room-mate with a homosexual will be punished for failure to obey a lawful order. They quoted the Defense of Marriage Act a lot; should be interesting to see what happens when that is deemed unconstitutional.

SM, NM

3/31/2011 10:24:28 AM ET
Great - The dictates of a person's conscience religion or personal philosophy cannot justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order. Got it. What happens if you have no one in your org who is homosexual and you are required to provide a POC for next year's Military Gay Pride Observance Week. If any of your hetero Airmen refuse what then

RMA, SA

3/31/2011 1:27:21 AM ET
Analyst-I think you forgot the fact that the people indirectly affected got to vote meaning your statement is invalid while Jk retired's is. That survey only needed those directly involved which would have been fair to my core values Integrity and Excellence along with my sibling service's core values which were betrayed. According to this training we only go by one core value now ...Service before self.... By all means the suck it up factor should be co-ed showers which would calm everybody down realistically.

TS-102, DOD Lab

3/30/2011 2:30:01 PM ET
JK Retired - survey results of the entire active duty and reserves showed that a majority thought there would be no major impact of the repeal by a very large margin. A full vote of all members would likely not be very different. It is moot, however, because the military is not a democracy.

Analyst, Barksdale

3/30/2011 12:58:14 PM ET
I personally liked the CBT. It addressed all the ignorant junk people have been posting on boards like this.

NW, Co

3/30/2011 12:28:16 PM ET
Neil, nice to see the tolerance for other views from you. Maybe you can use some tolerance of other viewpoints/lifestyles training yourself. You're as biased and offensive as any homo-phobe I've ever met/heard.

DM, FL

3/30/2011 12:02:57 PM ET
So glad to be retired. I feel for the majority of the active duty troops who are I am sure not in favor of this policy. Too bad there was not a democratic vote of active duty and active duty reserves to determine if this was a viable policy or not. I'll bet it would have been voted down by a very large margin...........

JK Retired, Sacramento Ca.

3/30/2011 11:29:40 AM ET
All I can say is I glad I retired when I did so I can avoid the management mess this is going to cause. This is going to be a great tool for commanders again as was DADT to get rid of troops that they deem unfit or problem airman to serve in the AF. I saw it happen in 1991- and am positive it will happen again.

Tom, MO

3/30/2011 8:56:36 AM ET
Defined Integrity adherence to moral and ethical principles soundness of moral character honesty. I think that is enough said.

TRS, Texas

3/30/2011 8:56:30 AM ET
Here is what the training needs to be. Treat everyone with respect. Keep your bedroom out of the workplace. If you violate either rule you are punished. Done.

Paul, Boston

3/30/2011 8:43:16 AM ET
Didn't attend training when DADT was started by Clinton won't attend repeal training under Obama. Glad to be retiring

BE, SA TX

3/29/2011 5:32:16 PM ET
Ok Bible-Banging Born-Again Fundie nutjobs COMMENCE CONNIPTIONS

Neil, Phoenix AZ

3/29/2011 3:10:00 PM ET
Slowly the 90 minutes of annual training has evolved back to at least a full weeks worth.

SW, OK

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