ABSTRACT
In the years preceding the 2011 repeal of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT) policy barring open service by lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) troops, many observers predicted that the policy change would harm the readiness of the military. This study offers a comprehensive assessment of the accuracy of those predictions. A study team conducted research during a half-year period starting six months after repeal was implemented. The team pursued multiple research strategies that included interviews, survey analysis, field observations, media analysis, longitudinal secondary source analysis and quasi-experimentation. The study concludes 330that, in its first year, DADT repeal had no negative impact on overall military readiness or its component parts (unit cohesion, recruitment, retention, assaults, harassment or morale) and appears to have slightly enhanced the military’s ability to do its job by removing obstacles to trust and bonding.
