Gay rights groups are concerned the Pentagon’s massive survey of military attitudes toward repealing the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy could produce skewed results because of the way questions are reportedly worded and respondents’ concerns about the privacy of their answers, which are supposed to remain anonymous, Politico reports.

But Defense Secretary Robert Gates defended the survey his Department e-mailed to 400,000 active duty and reserve force members Thursday, saying it would give a comprehensive view of how soldiers see the potential policy change lifting the ban on gays serving openly in the armed forces.

Initially, the poll would have included half as many participants, Gates said at a press briefing Thursday.

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