Reply #23: These things are usually done with lots of care. You have to have your ducks in a row.

[CTyankee]

When you roll it out you do it with the strongest back up you've got: big military brass who agree with you coming on the talk shows on Sunday. You prep the media with backgrounders that cite facts w/regard to other countries that are successful in having openly gay members of their armed services. You cite studies that bolster your argument. You anticipate the questions, esp. the hostile ones. You line up Republicans who are in your camp.

It's naive to think that you can just throw something out there and hope for the best. Certainly, this issues deserves to be handled in the best way possible and displaying the greatest support there is for it among the experts and the rank and file. It can be done and done well. Or it can fall victim to sloppy handling and fail for the worst of reasons: lack of careful planning.