DADT Discharges Down 30 Percent in 2009

The number of discharges the military issued due to "don't ask, don't tell" fell significantly in 2009, according to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.

The organization said that it expected the number, which will be announced at Tuesday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, to show discharges down to 428 in 2009, compared to 619 in 2008. The 2009 figures include the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, but discharge numbers for the Coast Guard are not yet available.

"It's very good news that discharges continue to drop during a time of two wars, particularly in 2009," said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of SLDN. "But it is 428 too many. We need to see the number go to zero and will continue to urge Congress and the White House to pass full repeal in 2010 through the defense authorization bill to end this law once and for all."