GAO: DADT Discharges Cost Nearly $200 Million Over Five Years

Now that DADT is on the verge of becoming history, the Government Accountability Office (GOA) has released a audit revealing that between fiscal years 2004 and 2009, the anti-gay military policy cost U.S. taxpayers $192.3 million to discharge and replace the 3,660 service men and women booted out during that period.

The Washington Post reported on Friday:

For those years, it cost about $185 million to recruit and train replacement troops and $7.7 million in administrative costs. Each separation cost $52,800 on average, according to Government Accountability Office estimates published Thursday.

The findings come almost a month after President Obama signed legislation beginning process of repealing the ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in uniform. The Defense Department is expected within the next week to announce plans to train senior commanders, chaplains, and the rank and file about changes to its personnel policy before officially ending "don't ask, don't tell," senior Pentagon officials said Thursday.

The report was requested by Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.), who last year chaired a House Armed Services panel on military personnel and supported ending the ban. "Clearly this was the right thing to do," she said in a statement Thursday. "No longer will American taxpayers continue to pay to throw out patriotic servicemembers who want only to serve their country." 

Some Republicans are still extremely unhappy about last month's DADT repeal and haven't given up on the hate. WaPo continues:

But House Republicans this week introduced a bill that would require the chiefs of all four military branches to join Obama, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in signing off on the Pentagon's plans for repeal before the policy ends. The bill Obama signed requires that he, Gates and Mullen certify the repeal. Even if the GOP bill passes the Republican-led House, it will face stiff resistance in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Related articles

• Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Dollar Signs and Question Marks (gayrights.change.org)
• "Price Of DADT: $193.3 Million To Discharge 3,664 Servicemembers Between 2004 And 2009" and related posts (wonkroom.thinkprogress.org)
• Enforcing 'DADT' Cost the U.S. Military $200 Million Over Five Years (towleroad.com)
• The Cost Of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' (huffingtonpost.com)