The one-year anniversary of the repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy is fast approaching, and by all accounts the change has been an overwhelming success. Pentagon officials, the White House and throngs of advocates have hailed the smooth transition, The Associated Press reports.
The repeal, which allows gay and lesbian troops to serve openly, has been recognized as one of the key accomplishments of President Barack Obama's first term. Though there had been some concerns over whether soldiers would accept the change, thanks to pre-repeal training and monitoring after the fact, there have been no reported problems. In fact, the policy may have improved troop morale, a study from UCLA's Palm Center found recently.
"Contrary to expectations, the co-authors found evidence that repeal has improved trust among the troops, and has enabled service members to resolve problems in ways that were not possible while DADT remained law," the authors of the study wrote, according to the AP.
While there have been strides made for gay rights in the military, advocates say there is still work to be done. In particular, same sex couples do not yet have the same benefits and healthcare coverage as other troops.