Readiness and DADT Repeal

Abstract

Prior to the repeal of ''don't ask, don't tell'' (DADT) on September 20, 2011, many observers predicted that allowing lesbian, gay and bisexual troops to serve openly would harm the military, and a group of more than 1,000 retired general and flag officers predicted that repeal could ''break the All-Volunteer Force.'' This study is the first scholarly effort to assess the accuracy of such predictions about the impact of DADT repeal on military readiness. We conducted our research during the half-year period starting six months after repeal and concluding at the one year mark, and we pursued ten separate research strategies including in-depth interviews, survey analysis, on-site field observations, pretest/posttest quasi experimentation, secondary source analysis, and a comprehensive review of media articles. Our goal was to maximize the likelihood

Military and Civilian Field–Related Factors in Estonian Reservists’ Military Service Readiness

“…In family-related studies, it has also been noted that reserve component readiness might be more affected by family stress than the active component and that officer readiness might be more strongly affected by family worries than enlisted personnel readiness (Schumm et al, 2001). Some studies focus also on some other specific factor that may have influence on readiness, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues (Belkin et al, 2012). Readiness-related documents and studies may often also be classified, and access to them can be limited.…”