Reserve Officers Have No Stance on DADT

An organization representing military reservists voted to rescind its previous call to exclude all gays and lesbians from serving in the military.

The Reserve Officers Association of the United States voted Wednesday to abandon iys previous stance, but members did not officially agree to back President Barack Obama's directive calling to put an end to "don't ask, don't tell."

"While our membership voted down a position supporting the current law, our actions fell short of endorsing the administration's current position that would allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military," retired Rear Admiral Paul T. Kayye, ROA president, said in a statement. "No inference should be made as to the association's position as we do not currently have one on this issue."

Kayye added that the members felt the issue should be "resolved by currently serving military leaders."

Before the law went into effect in 1993, the ROA urged Congress to "exclude homosexuals from induction, enlistment, commissioning and continued service."

The organization will meet this summer, where it may decide to establish a position on the proposed repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." The ROA advises the president and Congress on military issues related to its 63,000 members and the 1.5 million reservists.