R 231709Z DEC 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 047/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC//
SUBJ/REPEAL OF DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL POLICY//
POC/W.J. MCWATERS/LTCOL/UNIT:MPO/-/TEL:703) 784-9388/TEL:DSN 278-9388 //
POC/A. MANZANEDO/CAPT/UNIT:MPO/-/TEL:(703) 784-9387/TEL:DSN 278-9387 //
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  PURPOSE.  THIS ALMAR NOTIFIES ALL MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL OF THE NEW LAW WHICH WILL REPEAL 10 USC 654, THE LAW COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL," AND PROVIDES INTERIM GUIDANCE ON IMPLEMENTATION. 
2.  THIS WEEK, CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT ENACTED LEGISLATION THAT WILL LEAD TO THE REPEAL OF THE LAW ASSOCIATED WITH THE "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" POLICY.  THE SECDEF WILL SOON ISSUE GUIDANCE ON HOW THE DEPARTMENT WILL PROCEED WITH REGARD TO IMPLEMENTING THE NEW POLICY, REQUIRING THE MARINE CORPS AND OTHER SERVICES TO FORMULATE POLICIES AND REGULATIONS RELATED TO IMPLEMENTATION.  THOSE EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY NOW.  SUBSEQUENT TO THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THOSE MATTERS, THE PRESIDENT, THE SECDEF, AND THE CJCS WILL CERTIFY TO CONGRESS THAT THE DOD IS READY TO IMPLEMENT REPEAL. 
3.  AS MARINES, WE ABIDE BY THE LAWS OF OUR NATION, AND WILL IMPLEMENT THE NEW POLICY IN ACCORDANCE WITH SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS AND IMPLEMENTING GUIDANCE FROM OUR CHAIN OF COMMAND.  UNTIL THEN, IT REMAINS DOD POLICY NOT TO ASK SERVICE MEMBERS OR RECRUIT APPLICANTS ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION - AND IN THAT VEIN, THERE ARE NO NEW CHANGES TO EXISTING DOD OR MARINE CORPS POLICIES. 
4.  WE ARE MARINES, FIRST AND FOREMOST.  FIDELITY IS THE ESSENCE OF WHO WE ARE.  ACCORDINGLY, WE WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THIS NEW LAW, AND WILL CONTINUE TO TREAT EACH OTHER WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT. THE SMMC AND I WILL PERSONALLY LEAD THIS EFFORT.  WE EXPECT MARINES TO STEP OUT SMARTLY TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW POLICY. IN DOING SO, WE WILL FURTHER DEMONSTRATE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THE DISCIPLINE AND LOYALTY THAT HAVE BEEN THE HALLMARK OF OUR CORPS FOR OVER 235 YEARS.
5.  THIS APPLIES TO THE MARINE CORPS TOTAL FORCE.
6.  SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS//