A group of military scholars and experts signed a joint statement urging lawmakers to use their own judgment in the debate concerning repealing the ban on gays in the military.

The 25 experts warned that relying solely on the advice of service chiefs would not provide a full picture of the issue. The statement was put together by the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

“Those who oppose making this change because the nation is at war were the same people who opposed it in 1993, when we were at peace,” said Northwestern University's Michael Sherry, one of the experts who signed the statement.

On Tuesday, Defense secretary Robert Gates issued instructions to U.S. Army Europe Commander Gen. Carter Ham and Defense Department lawyer Jeh Johnson on how to properly conduct a study into how to repeal the policy. Gates said they should consult with any "key influencers" who can speak about “military readiness, military effectiveness and unit cohesion, recruiting/retention, and family readiness.”  The results are due December 1.

The full statement is on the following page.