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** FILE ** Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta (T.J. Kirkpatrick/The Washington Times) more
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Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta is not requiring commands and agencies to hold gay pride events this month, even as the Pentagon prepares for its first celebration on Tuesday of gays serving openly in the ranks.
Mr. Panetta issued a message to troops June 15 recognizing June as Gay Pride Month in the military, after President Obama officially recognized it weeks earlier.
Jeh Johnson, the Defense Department’s general counsel who spearheaded the drive inside the Pentagon to repeal the policy against gays serving openly in the military, will be the keynote speaker at the Pentagon event, which will feature a panel discussion titled “The Value of Open Service and Diversity.”
The Pentagon has not released the names of panel members. A gay-rights group said it knows the names, but declined to identify them before the Pentagon does.
Pentagon spokesmen said Mr. Panetta has not directed commands, installations or agencies to hold companion gay pride events during June.
A spot-check of major commands – such as Special Operations Command, Pacific Command and Central Command – revealed that no special events or statements are scheduled. One spokesman said that does not mean an installation will not note the occasion with a statement or exhibit.
Other minorities celebrated
“I’m not aware of any events planned at this point,” said a Pacific Command spokeswoman.
Said Army spokesman George Wright: “Aside from the event at the Pentagon for [the Department of Defense], I’m not aware of any organized activities here at Army headquarters, nor at installations.”
In the past, celebrations at the Pentagon to recognize minorities have
This article originally appeared on: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jun/24/panetta-not-ordering-gay-pride-events/