On December 22nd, 2010, the President signed legislation that will lead to the eventual repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". The legislation provides that repeal will take effect 60 days after the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify to Congress that the Armed Forces are prepared to implement repeal in a manner that is consistent with the standards of military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention of the Armed Forces. Until such time, there are no changes to any existing Department or Service policies.
The Memorandum accessible below provides the Department's Policy Guidance that will take effect on the date of repeal (the exact date is not yet known), and it informs the Military Services about the steps each should take immediately in order to prepare for the effective date of repeal.
