Navy Prints Training Materials For End of DADT
The Washington Post reports:
Four documents -- a 24-slide PowerPoint presentation, a two-page pamphlet, an eight-page "Frequently Asked Questions" form and 14 written vignettes -- are being used by naval commanders and senior enlisted officers to train "deck hand sailors," or the rank and file, on what will happen once President Obama and top military leaders certify that the military is ready to end its enforcement of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
Over the course of training sessions lasting 90 minutes to two hours, the four documents help trainers reinforce the same general themes: The military's code of conduct will continue to apply without explicit regard to sexual orientation; potential violators may be punished for disobeying orders, dereliction of duty or breaking the law; and those not following the rules may be involuntarily separated for violating the policy.
Gay rights groups that pushed to end the ban are divided over whether the military's standards of conduct should explicitly mention sexual orientation and worry that service members will lack ample opportunities to speak with officials outside the chain of command about potential violations of the new policy.
The Washington Post obtained a copy of the PowerPoint presentation from sources familiar with the military's training programs; naval officials provided the additional documents once queried about the slides.
Consistent with the new policy, the slides also remind sailors that they may not be discharged for opposing the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." Early discharges will be granted "when in the best interest of the Navy," according to the slides.
Click here to read more.
