Obama made repealing the ban a campaign promise. But, advisers told The Washington Times the incoming president first wants to form a consensus among the Joint Chiefs of Staff and his new Pentagon appointees before going to Congress on the potentially explosive matter.

Currently, a compromise policy known as "don't ask, don't tell" says gay service members must keep their sexuality private or face expulsion from the U.S. armed services. About 12,500 people have been discharged under the policy.

Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, said he had held "informal discussions" with the Obama transition team on how the to proceed on the issue, which he also expects to come up in 2010.