Troops get 'don't ask, don't tell' surveys

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WASHINGTON, July 8 (UPI) -- A survey seeking U.S. troops' views on the impact of ending a policy barring homosexuals from openly serving in the military is being sent, the Pentagon said.

The more than 100-question survey was being sent to 200,000 active-duty troops and 200,000 members of reserve forces, CNN reported Thursday.

Among other things, the survey asks about issues such as how morale or readiness may be affected if a commander is thought to be gay or lesbian, the need to maintain personal conduct standards and how a repeal may affect one's willingness to serve in the military.

The survey also asks questions designed to identify problems that may arise when troops live and work closely in overseas war zones and about reactions to dealing with same-sex partners in social situations.

Pentagon officials also discussed the repeal in private meetings with troops. Results aren't expected until the end of the year, officials said.

The Pentagon established a team to conduct the survey earlier this year to determine the impact of the repeal. President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen back a repeal of the current policy.

A senior military official with knowledge of the process told CNN the Defense Department said it needs until the end of 2010 to figure out how to implement a repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" because of housing, medical and marriage benefits, and the issue of reinstating gay soldiers discharged under the policy.

The House of Representatives in May approved a plan that would repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy after the military's internal review is finished, and Obama, Gates, and Mullen sign off on the policy change. The Senate did not pass the measure.