[Vision2020] Spouses Surveyed About Military Policy on Gays

Tom Hansen thansen at moscow.com
Mon Aug 30 15:19:22 PDT 2010


Courtesy of the Army Times at:

 

http://www.ArmyTimes.com

 

 

Spouses surveyed about military policy on gays 

A survey targeting military spouses' views on gays in uniform is trying to
gauge how a repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy could affect the
military community's social life.

The survey was sent to 150,000 spouses and presented as an "important,
confidential survey that will help shape the future of our military,"
according to the cover letter, dated Aug. 11 and signed by Defense Secretary
Robert Gates.

The 44-question survey, a copy of which was obtained by Military Times,
follows an earlier effort tar-geting 450,000 active-duty and
reserve-component troops and is part of the Pentagon's broader effort to
gauge the potential impact of repealing the law that bars open military
service by gays and the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy that
derives from the law.

Questions for spouses include: 

 

│ Would the attendance of a gay or lesbian service member with his or her
partner affect how often you attend : picnics, gatherings and holiday
parties? 

│ If a gay or lesbian service member lived in your [on-base] neighborhood
with their partner, would you stay on-base or would you try to move out? 

│ If the partner of a gay or les-bian service member participated in a
family support program, would it affect your participation?

The survey also aims to deter-mine the potential impact on recruiting and
retention, with questions including: 

│ Would a repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" affect your preference for your
spouse's plans for his or her future in the military? 

│ Would a repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" affect your willingness to
recommend military service to a family member or close friend?

Other questions include: 

│ Do you have any family mem-bers, friends or acquaintances, including
coworkers, whom you believe to be gay or lesbian? 

│ Has your spouse ever worked on a daily basis with an individual he or she
believed to be a homosex-ual service member? [If so,] how well did you know
that individual? 

│ Assume "don't ask, don't tell" is repealed. Would repeal affect your
family readiness?

The survey also asks spouses to disclose their age, race, education level
and whether their family has young children at home. The response deadline
is Sept. 27.

The survey assures spouses their participation is completely confidential
and can't be disclosed even under court order.

Survey results will be used by an advisory panel to make recom-mendations to
Gates by Dec. 1.

 

 

Stay tuned, Moscow.

 

Tom Hansen

Moscow, Idaho

 

"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil
and steady dedication of a lifetime."

 

-- Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.

 

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