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<p class=MsoNormal>Courtesy of the Army Times at:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.ArmyTimes.com">http://www.ArmyTimes.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='border:none;padding:0in'>š<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=maintitle1><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Spouses
surveyed about military policy on gays</span></span><span class=abody2><span
style='font-size:9.5pt'> </span></span><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:
"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>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.</span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>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.</span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>The 44-question survey, a copy of which was obtained by
Military Times, follows an earlier effort tar­geting 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.</span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>Questions for spouses include: <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=abody2><span style='font-size:9.5pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=abody2><span style='font-size:9.5pt'>■
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? </span></span><span
style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>■ 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? </span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>■ If the partner of a gay or les­bian service member
participated in a family support program, would it affect your participation?</span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>The survey also aims to deter­mine the potential impact on
recruiting and retention, with questions including: </span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>■ 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? </span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>■ Would a repeal of “don’t ask,
don’t tell” affect your willingness to recommend military service
to a family member or close friend?</span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>Other questions include: </span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>■ Do you have any family mem­bers, friends or
acquaintances, including coworkers, whom you believe to be gay or lesbian? </span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>■ Has your spouse ever worked on a daily basis with an
individual he or she believed to be a homosex­ual service member? [If so,] how
well did you know that individual? </span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>■ Assume “don’t ask, don’t
tell” is repealed. Would repeal affect your family readiness?</span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>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.</span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>The survey assures spouses their participation is completely
confidential and can’t be disclosed even under court order.</span><br>
<br>
<span class=abody2>Survey results will be used by an advisory panel to make
recom­mendations to Gates by Dec. 1.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Stay tuned, Moscow.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Tom Hansen<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Moscow, Idaho<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>"Patriotism
is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil and steady
dedication of a lifetime."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>-- Adlai E.
Stevenson, Jr.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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