One of the signatories, Mark Seavey of This Ain’t Hell, insists that the statement says no such thing and merely calls on Congress to wait until the military’s review of the policy is finished before acting. [Update: Oops. Not true. See below.] Really? Quote:

The service chiefs are currently studying the impact and consequences of changing the DADT policy, and how to implement it without compromising the morale, order and discipline necessary for the military to function. The study is due to be completed on Dec. 1st. We ask Congress to withhold action until this is finished, but no longer. We urge Congress to listen to the service chiefs and act in accordance with the recommendations of that study.

The US Military is professional and ready to adapt to the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell without compromising its mission. Echoing Sec. Def. Gates and ADM Mullen, we welcome open and honorable service, regardless of sexual orientation.

Follow the link up top for the full statement and list of endorsers, which includes the guys at Blackfive and McQ of QandO, who once held a different opinion and changed it after serving with gay soldiers. (Milblog fans will undoubtedly note who’s missing from the roster of signatories.) I think it’s an impressively bold move, not only because they didn’t have to make it but because the bulk of their readership, I assume, comes from vets and hawks, both of which are perceived (fairly or not) as being cooler to repealing DADT than the average joe. But then, as Uncle Jimbo says of those who disagree, “no one’s going to lose their mind over DADT.”

Speaking of gay-rights support from those perceived as hawkish: Dude?

Update: My bad. It was Seavey’s co-blogger, John Lilyea, who wrote the post at This Ain’t Hell, not Seavey. Sorry that I missed the byline.