Army Secretary Eric Fanning says he has no hard feelings against Sen. Pat Roberts.
The Kansas Republican had blocked Fanning’s nomination to become secretary a year ago over the Obama administration’s proposal to close the military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.
But Fanning, speaking to an Atlantic magazine summit on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues on Wednesday, said he expected the delay all along, given that Roberts had also held up the nomination of his predecessor.
“We knew that was coming,” Fanning said.
Fanning was nominated by President Barack Obama last November and confirmed by the Senate Armed Services Committee in March. Roberts ended his objection in May, and the full Senate promptly voted to confirm him.
Fanning was nominated by President Barack Obama last November and confirmed by the Senate Armed Services Committee in March.
Fanning sought to dispel any notion that Roberts’ actions were related to Fanning becoming the first openly gay secretary of any branch of the armed services.
“I take him at his word,” Fanning said of Roberts.
Fanning also said that the military’s integration of LGBT service members has taken place largely without incident and would be very difficult for a future administration to roll back.
Fanning also said that the military’s integration of LGBT service members has taken place largely without incident and would be very difficult for a future administration to roll back.
Congress repealed the Clinton-era “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for gay service members in 2010, which Fanning said “seems like ancient history now.”
He cited the military’s previously successful integration of African-Americans and women, and said that arguments against it “are proven wrong every time.”
He also said that younger commanders and rank-and-file service members don’t understand why it was ever a problem.
“The policy is catching up to reality,” Fanning said.
Curtis Tate: 202-383-6018, @tatecurtis