Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT)

Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) was the official U.S. policy on military service by gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans. Issued under a Department of Defense directive during Bill Clinton's presidency, it was in effect from February 1994 until September 2011. The policy barred service members from disclosing their orientation and barred the military from asking, but people could still be discharged if their orientation became known. Roughly 13,000 service members were discharged over the 17 years it stood. Congress passed a repeal in December 2010, President Obama signed it, and the repeal took effect on September 20, 2011, allowing gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans to serve openly.