Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann said that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military would “destroy the armed forces” and pledged to reinstate the controversial Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, reports the Minnesota Independent.

Bachmann made her pledge during a Tuesday evening conference call with supporters of Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom coalition. Bachmann also talked about her work on the anti-gay marriage amendments that will appear on the Minnesota ballot in 2012.

“We also believe that God has a design for marriage between one man and one woman. I was the chief author of the marriage amendment in Minnesota and we persisted, and after seven years, in a very hostile liberal state, we finally passed that marriage amendment and it will be on the ballot and I believe it will pass in 2012,” Bachmann said.

Bachmann said that the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell will affect the military’s preparedness.

“I would reinstate the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. It worked before and what it says is the issue of sexuality is one that doesn’t come up and people aren’t allowed to be open about it because the United States military is unique, it’s not a social experiment,” Bachmann said in response to callers.

Bachmann refuted the idea that voters will have to settle, instead of waiting for an ideal candidate to arise. She told activists not to settle for a moderate candidate and reminded them that she is the most socially conservative.

“Don’t settle. Don’t settle for anyone less than a candidate that will stand up for our profile, pro-family, pro-marriage issues,” she told people on the call. “What makes me stand out is that I have stood up on every battle that we care about and I have taken the heat and have shown in the heat of the battle I push on.”