Ending 'don't ask, don't tell' is long overdue

THE doubters and critics are wrong. For the nation's military, immersed in two wars and Haiti relief efforts, the time could not be better to eliminate prohibitions on gays and lesbians serving their country.

Every branch of the service needs dedicated selfless Americans willing to donate their time and talents — and risk their lives — to serve and protect the United States.

Sexual orientation is a matter of biology not combat readiness. Times change and, yes, even the Pentagon has to adapt dated thinking. Generational adjustments, from menu items in the chow hall to broader opportunities for females to serve and lead, had to be made. Time is overdue for another adjustment to reality.

Getting rid of arbitrary rules that have discharged 13,500 trained personnel — many in "mission critical" positions, including scarce language skills — is the next logical step.

President Obama's call in his State of the Union address to repeal "don't ask, don't tell" prohibitions received two key endorsements. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen said "allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do."

Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee the question was not whether to make the change, but how best to prepare for it. He laid out a path for the service branches to talk through the process, and advised it might take a year.

The amount of time is tolerable if the Pentagon essentially disconnects "don't ask, don't tell" during the interim and does not put any more individuals and their careers at risk.

In fact, the transitional conversation throughout the Pentagon is probably a constructive period. Ordinary Americans do not get any closer to the military than video games and movies. The bureaucracy and culture are utterly foreign to most of the public.

Give the institutions time to realize they have been serving with gays and lesbians for generations without consequences. Acknowledge, as well, that military cemeteries are their final resting place in uncounted numbers.

Gays and lesbians in the military are long overdue the respect and opportunities they have been denied by ignorant biases across society.