: A Pentagon spokesman said the Defense Department is ready for the Sept. 20 repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law. “This is something that has been known for a long time,” said Pentagon press secretary George Little, and added, “We’ve gone through a process to certify repeal.” He told reporters at the Pentagon Monday that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen will talk with reporters Tuesday about the implementation, specifically those changes that had to await the law’s implementation. Air Force officials earlier this summer said the service was completing training for its airmen. (Pentagon report by Jim Garamone)
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.