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Earlier this month we learned about the first, and at that time only discharge under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" since Obama signed repeal legislation. There have been three more, the Advocate reports:

"A total of four airmen have been discharged under the policy in the last several weeks, Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen Lainez confirmed Monday…Air Force spokesman Maj. Joel Harper told The Advocate that the discharges of three additional service members — two female staff sergeants and one male second lieutenant— have been approved since an April 29 discharge."

Said Alexander Nicholson, Executive Director of Servicemembers United, in a statement responding to the discharges: 

"It is rather shocking that we continue to see isolated incidents of servicemembers trying to force the Pentagon to let them out of their service obligations because the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law still technically remains on the books. The Pentagon has made it abundantly clear that it does not want to enforce 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' any longer and that it is more than willing to deal with any lingering harassment issues through the chain of command or, in the case of command involvement, the base's or post's Inspector General's office. Thousands of servicemembers have dreamed of the day when 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' would be virtually dead and commands would plead with openly gay servicemembers to remain in the service. It really would behoove the Defense Department to expedite certification so that no one can use this archaic law as a loophole to leave the military early anymore."

Training has been underway for 'DADT' repeal for several months now. Last Friday was the deadline for final assessments on the progress of the training. The reports will generate final recommendations which the defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen must review before certifying final repeal. It was reported last week that Gates, who is retiring at the end of this week, would leave certification to his successor Leon Panetta.

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