In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama called for an end to the "Don't ask, don't tell" law, which bars homosexuals from military service but allows service members to keep their personal lives – including their sexual orientation – private.  "It is the right thing to do," Obama said in his Jan. 27 speech before both houses of Congress. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates appointed a panel of officials, who will explore ways to change the law. Shortly after the speech, Gates mentioned a June conversation he had with Obama, in which they pondered the strict language of "Don't ask, don't tell." "What we have is a law, not a policy or regulation," Gates said. "It doesn't leave a lot to the imagination or a lot of flexibility."
 

Concerned about cost overruns and other problems that beset the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has relieved Marine Corps Maj. Gen. David R. Heinz, the project's manager, of his duties. A three-star flag officer, yet unnamed, will replace Heinz, the Pentagon announced Feb. 2. Gates' concerns came to a head during an Aug. 31 visit to the plane's Lockheed Martin manufacturing plant in Fort Worth, Texas. "One cannot absorb the additional costs that we have in this program and the delays without people being held accountable," Gates said.
 

President Obama's plan to freeze federal spending for three years, as expressed in the fiscal year 2011 budget he submitted to Congress, will not cut into programs deemed essential to defense and national security, he told lawmakers during his Jan. 27 State of the Union address. In essence, while programs at every other federal agency will either be flat-lined or trimmed, service members would see their housing allowances, family services programs, and basic pay rise next year and in coming years, according to the White House plan.
 

The Air Force has finished testing four versions of its new stain-resistant boot, to be worn with the new Airman Battle Uniform (ABU). The 200 airmen who took part in the test generally favored a prototype that offered a rubber heel and toe cap. They also expressed concerns that the boot was heavy, and should offer better breathability and traction. Until a suitable new boot is developed, the service likely will authorize airmen to wear black boots in certain work areas.
 

A new online resource can plug military families in with baby sitters, tutors, housekeepers, nannies, elder-care assistants, tutors, and an array of other caregivers. The Web site – http://www.sitterscity.com/dod, is sponsored by Sittercity Corporate Program and funded by the Defense Department. Membership for service members is free, but service providers do work for fees. The site's managers say the listed care providers have been screened for reliability and qualifications.
 

A new study by researchers from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), RTI International, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has determined that wives of deployed soldiers use mental health resources more frequently than other wives. They also seek mental health treatment more often the longer the deployment according to the study, which sampled roughly 250,000 Army wives between the ages of 18 and 48. "The longer the husband had been deployed, the more we saw an excess of disorders," said Army Col. (Dr.) Charles Engel, the associate chair of psychiatry at USUHS, who helped manage the study. Researchers hope to use the data to formulate more effective mental-health protocols for future military spouses who fade the pressures of deployments.
 

The Marine Corps is offering its members to submit their ideas to improve the service's processes and operations, and a chance to earn as much as $25,000 if their suggestions are adopted. Through the Beneficial Suggestions Program, Marines can submit their ideas on the Web at http://www.logcom.usmc.mil/benesuggs. 
 

Sailors taking part in Operation Unified Response, the U.S. military effort to help recovery efforts in Haiti following the Jan. 12 earthquake, can qualify for certain special pays. Those serving on Haitian or internal waters land could qualify for  $225 per month in Imminent Danger Pay (IDP). Those assigned to temporary duty in the area of Haiti for 30 or more consecutive days are eligible to receive $100 per month in Hardship Duty Pay-Location (HDP-L). Flight crews and hospital corpsmen who spend duty time on the Haitian mainland but frequently return to ships do not qualify for HDP-L. More information is available online at www.navy.mil/local/cnp/.
 

The Navy has established the U.S. Fleet Cyber Command (FCC) and recommissioned the U.S. 10th Fleet, during a Jan. 29 ceremony at Fort Meade, Md., where they will be headquartered. Originally established for anti-submarine warfare during World War II and decommissioned in 1945, the newest incarnation of 10th Fleet will "confront a new challenge to our nation's security in cyberspace," said Adm. Gary Roughead, the chief of Naval operations. Fleet Cyber Command will oversee Navy efforts to ensure the safety of its cyberspace operations. Vice Adm. Bernard J. McCullough III, the commander of both 10th Fleet and FCC, will also be responsible for cryptologic, computer network, and information operations, as well as signal intelligence capabilities, cyber warfare, and electronic warfare. The Web site for Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet is www.navy.mil/local/fcc10/.