I agree with the general consensus that carrying out the recommendations stated in the report would not result in the Army imploding.

I also want to add to Ken's statement that many have served - and are serving - without any issues or problems. In fact, having to say that they "serve without any issues or problems" almost demeans them, because it implies that they are somehow less of a soldier than others and must be considered in that way. They are just soldiers, some serve relatively openly, some don't - and they have the same varied careers in the military as does anyone else who serves in uniform. Some are outstanding soldiers, some as ordinary as anyone else, and others may be Joe-####-the-Ragman - a disciplinary problem for NCOs that has nothing to do with sexual orientation. As others have stated, most of the current generation of young GIs could care less about such things.

In any case, the manner in which the Army executes the law is not just Don't Ask, Don't Tell - it is also Don't Pursue. The intent of the addition was to prevent any harassment for whatever reason - I remember the briefing at the time provided examples such as, the servicemember may subscribe to homosexual publications, be known to frequent off-post homosexual establishments, and even be seen in the company of a member of the same-sex entering motels or other such common locations for discreet encounters - and the command is not to do anything. It was stressed that there were only two methods by which the process could be initiated for a servicemember to be separated for homosexuality - be caught in the physical act with a member of the same sex (implying that it was occurring in the barracks, on other government property, or that an arrest occurred for a public act) or that the servicemember comes forward and puts a request in writing stating that their homosexuality is incompatible with continued military service.

The latter option is not so simple - it also required interviews with the commander (and up the chain a bit) as well as with the unit chaplain/base shrink. So it actually required multiple official verbal statements, in addition to the initial one in writing.

That long ramble leads me to another point - when pushing trainees in my last year in, we were informed that we would no longer separate trainees who failed the fat boy program or multiple APFTs unless there were other disciplinary issues involved. The environment being the way it was, there were a certain few amongst the trainees who were not too happy with having the relatively simple food-for-freedom option removed, let alone the even easier physical slug route. Surprise - the number of self-reported homosexuals nearly tripled in a six month period following the change in policy...