Pentagon Data Highlight Urgent Need to Repeal
'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Market Watch October 3, 2008
Servicemembers Legal Defense
Network Criticizes Waste of Tax Dollars
Today the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN)
criticized the Pentagon for paying nearly $640
million during Fiscal Year 2008 in bonuses for new
recruits while at the same time wasting taxpayer
dollars by discharging service members because of
sexual orientation under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
(DADT) law.
"The growing difficulty our military faces in
attracting the individuals we need for an effective
fighting force underscores the urgent need to repeal
'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' which is not only wrong but
costs taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars,"
SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis said.
"Instituting a non-discrimination law to allow all
military personnel to serve without regard to sexual
orientation would strengthen the military's
readiness to fight and ability to attract qualified
Americans at a time when our armed forces are spread
too thin."
Since DADT was instituted in 1993, at least
12,500 military personnel have been discharged,
costing taxpayers more than $200 million, according
to a 2005 Government Accountability Office (GAO)
report. A 2006 Blue Ribbon Commission Report found
that implementing DADT has cost taxpayers $363.8
million from 1994-2003. According to a 2007 report
by the Williams Institute, DADT has discouraged
nearly 45,000 Americans from joining and remaining
in the armed forces.
Pentagon data reported today by the Associated
Press reveal that the Army and Marine Corps has paid
nearly $640 million in bonuses during Fiscal Year
2008 to attract new recruits. According to the AP,
enlistees were given as much as $40,000 each. These
generous incentive packages swelled the Army's bonus
expenditures by 25 percent over last year's total,
the AP says. To read the full story, click here:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MILITARY_RECRUITING?SITE=AZPHG&SECTION=HOME.
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is a
national, non-profit legal services, watchdog and
policy organization dedicated to ending
discrimination against and harassment of military
personnel affected by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and
related forms of intolerance. A "Guide to 'Don't
Ask, Don't Tell'" for journalists is available at
http://www.sldn.org/news/.
