The Pentagon on Friday, January 28, said training to prepare for implementation of the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell could begin as early as next month.

It has been just over a month since President Obama signed the bill to repeal of the military’s ban on openly gay servicemembers.

And Pentagon officials on Friday they think they may be ready to begin implementation of the new law within the year.

But General James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there is no hard and fast date by which the Pentagon believes it will be able to implement repeal.

The law Obama signed in December requires that the president, the defense secretary, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff “certify in writing” that implementation of repeal can begin without compromising military readiness.

General Cartwright said that the individual service chiefs would be able to put a “pause” on the process if they run up against any unforeseen obstacles but that certification could happen before all troops receive direct training.

Whenever certification takes place, actual repeal can’t begin until after a 60-day Congressional “review” period.