John McHugh, the sitting Secretary of the Army, has become the most senior official in the Pentagon to state the Army’s willingness to allow gays and lesbians to serve in the military.  However, McHugh was quick to temper that statement.  In an interview with the Army Times, McHugh implied that the Army is simply waiting for a directive from Obama to figure out a plan for implementing openly gay servicemembers into the Army.

In the interview, McHugh carefully avoided offering his personal views on the issue, saying his job now is to provide input to Obama on how to make the change and to talk with members of Congress about the issue.

Selling the idea to Congress, which has the final say, could depend on exactly what the administration tries to do in terms of the timing of repeal and how it is applied, McHugh said.

The Army Times described one contingency provided by McHugh where “homosexuals could be allowed into some occupations or units but barred from others,” but McHugh stated that it was ultimately up to the directive of the Administration and Congress.