Dr. Stanley and an All-Volunteer Force

Ten minutes of the confirmation hearing for Dr. Clifford L. Stanley, and already DADT is presented as contentious.

After Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D, MI) provided a basic background of the three nominees – Dr. Stanley having 33 years of military and command experience and family members in every service – ranking member Senator John McCain (R, AZ) presented repealing DADT as an unnecessary change that would only add extra stress to an already over-extended military, consistent with previous positions on the issue.

Also mentioned were difficulties that would be ongoing themes throughout the hearing, that being the challenge in reducing contractors in favor of increasing the civil service sector of the DOD; the complexities of maintaining an all-volunteer force while still providing all necessary services to support such a force and providing competitive compensation; and the stresses associated with repeat deployments such as mental health issues and the negative stigma associated with them, as well as family issues.  In other words, Dr. Stanley has a full plate ahead of him even without considering DADT.  The question, then, is whether dealing with DADT will be an extra burden or a partial solution to these problems, and it was clear McCain favored the former opinion.

Senator Levin followed McCain’s pro-DADT position by asking simply if Dr. Stanley would provide his best objective opinion over the repeal of DADT, to which Dr. Stanley responded with a simple yes.  An opportunity to elaborate was provided with Senator Udall (D, CO), who asked – while noting gays and lesbians already serve in the armed services, and that thousands of gays and lesbians are civilian employees working with military personnel – if Dr. Stanley was prepared to support a push by the white house to include repeal of DADT in policy recommendations in teh defense budget next year. Dr. Stanley didn’t quite answer the question, recognizing this is a sensitive issue and that he would be seeking input from all sources, particularly the service chiefs and military personnel “from deck plate to squad level,” and provide a recommendation to Secretary Gates.  Dr. Stanley admitted he did not know what that recommendation would be, and will bear no preconceived notions as to the direction he will go in recommending action on DADT.

Senator Buriss (D, IL) asked what Dr. Stanley would do about pending discharge cases immediately upon confirmation.  Dr. Stanley – correctly – responded that the pending cases would fall under existing statute, and that he was unaware that he would have any role in these pending discharge cases (he wouldn’t).

Neither Senator Ben Nelson (D, NE) nor Senator George Lemieux (R, FL) addressed DADT, instead focusing on Dr. Stanley’s top three priorities (all-volunteer force maintenance, combat stressors, and families) and abnormally high suicide rates among troops, respectively.

All in all, Dr. Stanley made it clear that maintaining an all-volunteer force is of the utmost priority.  How DADT falls into that umbrella remains to be seen, but it can be said that Dr. Stanley is coming into his new position with an open and pragmatic mindset.  Which is not disappointing in the least.