Judge Richard Stearns, of the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, today entered judgment in favor of the same-sex married couples who challenged the laws that discriminated against them in the military. Plaintiffs in the case, McLaughlin v. Hagel, attacked the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act and spousal definitions in three other titles of the US Code. They were represented in this case by OutServe-SLDN and the law firm Chadbourne & Parke LLP. Even after the Supreme Court's decision in the Windsor case, the defendants argued that the McLaughlin plaintiffs were not entitled to judgment in their case.

Under the terms of the judgment, the plaintiffs may seek DoD and DVA benefits as of the date they sought to register the spouses with DoD in late 2011. Benefits that these families lost include additional housing allowances, family separation pay and health insurance coverage. In addition, the court declared that the definitions of "spouse" in Titles 10, 32 and 38 and of "surviving spouse" in Title 38 are unconstitutional.

OutServe/SLDN co-chair, John Gillespie commented: “We sought a judgment that would end the unconstitutional discrimination these service members and their families faced. Each of them paid a price for their service, and this judgment begins to right the many years of discrimination. Most importantly, this decision validates the service and sacrifice of all military family members. It guarantees the nation will recognize their contributions and provide the benefits they have earned.”

We want to recognize and thank the OutServe-SLDN legal team, Aubrey Sarvis, David McKean and John Goodman, as well as our pro bono partners at Chadbourne & Parke LLP, especially Abbe Lowell and Christopher Man. We owe them a debt of gratitude. We also congratulate and thank our clients in the case who bravely stepped forward to assert these rights:

• Major Shannon McLaughlin, ARNG and Casey McLaughlin

• Major Steve Snyder-Hill, USAR and Joshua Snyder-Hill

• Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) Charlie Morgan, ARNG and Karen Morgan

• Lieutenant Gary Ross, USN and Dan Ross

• Lieutenant Colonel Vicki Hudson, USAR and Monika Poxon

• Airman First Class (A1C) Daniel Henderson, USAF and Jerret Henderson

• Captain Joan Darrah, USN (Retired) and Lynne Kennedy

• Colonel Stewart Bornhoft, USA (Retired) and former Lieutenant Stephen McNabb, USN

OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel and is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services, watchdog and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel based on sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination.

Contact:
Todd Burton, OutServe-SLDN Board of Directors, tburton@outserve.org.

Department Of Defense Starts Recognizing Same Sex Spouses

(Washington, DC) Tuesday marks a milestone for LGBT service members and our families as the process of issuing ID cards and enrolling dependents in military benefit programs begins. This step removes significant barriers to service and financial hardship for military families. The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have approached implementation very carefully and we anticipate very few, if any, major problems.

Military families need to know this is only one step in the process. Applying for housing allowances, medical care, updating IRS tax withholding, military personnel files, and other benefits have separate enrollment procedures. Most commands have developed checklists to assist newly married service members with this process.

Over the next several days, military personnel, finance, medical, housing, and other offices are going to begin dealing with LGBT families for the first time. There will be unanticipated complications and the Military Services are prepared to assist in resolving issues. If service members encounter barriers and can’t resolve them through the military chain-of-command, contact our legal team at 1-800-538-7418x100 or 202-328-3244x100 or by email at legal@outserve-sldn.org.

“OutServe-SLDN is pleased to see these steps by the military services. Service members and their families have long been denied fair and equal treatment. Tuesday begins our steps forward on benefits that will begin to resolve this inequality. We look forward to the day when such barriers are eliminated,” stated April Heinze, OutServe-SLDN board chair.

OutServe-SLDN board member and Hospital Corpsman Second Class Jeffry Priela-Tam, currently at Camp Lejuene, NC, says this day has been a long time coming for him and his husband, Chris. “It comes as a great relief because now I don't have to pay out of pocket to live off base while forced to maintain a barracks room. It's a huge step towards equality. I can’t wait for the day when all states that do not currently recognize our marriage will come to their senses and fall on the right side of humanity.”

Significant barriers to service remain. These include transgender service, access to military equal opportunity programs, updating Status of Forces Agreements to allow family members to accompany service members on overseas assignments, ensuring access to veteran benefits, updating the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), and ensuring a positive and supportive command climate to strengthen our military culture of inclusion. OutServe-SLDN continues working to empower, support, and defend LGBT service members, veterans, and families.

ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world. It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

Contact:
Angela Dallara, Communications Associate, Freedom to Marry
angela@freedomtomarry.org or 646-430-3925

Zeke Stokes, 
Director of External Engagement, OutServe-SLDN
zeke@outserve-sldn.org or 202-621-5406

Military Campaign Releases Video Featuring Straight Allies for Equality 

(Washington, DC) Today, Freedom to Marry and Outserve-SLDN released the latest video in their “Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry” campaign series, featuring three prominent straight allies – Retired Rear Admiral Jamie Barnett, Army Major Mary Bergner, and former Congressman and Army Captain Patrick Murphy – speaking out in support of married gay and lesbian service members. The so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) prevents legally married same-sex couples from receiving over 1,100 federal protections that opposite-sex couples receive.

“What a tremendous day when ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was repealed,” says Retired Rear Admiral Barnett in the video. “The challenge now is not letting anybody think that it’s over. There’s still law that embeds discrimination.”

“I always fought for equality and believed in equality,” adds Army Major Bergner.

The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMxDSXQFW2k.

This is the final pre-DOMA decision video of a year-long series by Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry to highlight the harms of DOMA on service people. Previously released videos feature married same-sex military couples such as the late Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard and her wife Karen; Captain Steve M. Hill and his husband Josh Snyder; and Major Shannon McLaughlin and her wife Casey.

“America’s gay and lesbian service members are just as brave, courageous, and heroic as non-gay soldiers, yet they are still barred from sharing in the critical safety-net of protections that come with being legally married,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry. “No service member should have to worry about their family while they are risking their lives overseas. It’s time for the federal government to give gay and lesbian soldiers, their military spouses, and their families the same respect and support that non-gay soldiers receive, and strike down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.”

“As we await the Supreme Court’s decision, we are reminded that this is not just a gay or lesbian issue. This goes to the heart of readiness, retention, and cohesion, and America’s service members and veterans - no matter what their sexual orientation - know that this is a discriminatory and harmful law that must be relegated to the dustbins of history,” said Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.

For more information on Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry, visit www.freedomtomarry.org/serve.

ABOUT FREEDOM TO MARRY: Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.

ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world. It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

Contact: Zeke Stokes at
202-621-6506 or zeke@outserve-sldn.org

LGB Service Members Set to Ring New York Stock Exchange Closing Bell June 28
OutServe-SLDN NYC Pride Kickoff Happy Hour will follow historic Wall Street closing ceremony

(New York, NY) OutServe-SLDN announced today that the co-chair of its board of directors, Air Force Officer Josh Seefried, who co-founded the OutServe network in 2010, will join actively serving gay and lesbian service members for an historic Closing Bell ceremony on Friday, June 28. The afternoon will begin with a panel discussion before the group rings the closing bell to end the New York Stock Exchange's trading day. The Wall Street events will be followed by a Happy Hour to kick off New York City Pride Weekend.

“OutServe-SLDN thanks the New York Stock Exchange for recognizing the courage and sacrifice of America’s LGB service members in this way, and we are thrilled to be invited to ring the closing bell as New York City Pride weekend begins,” said Army veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.

At 2:30 p.m. EDT, the New York Stock Exchange will host a panel discussion in the Exchange’s board room, featuring Seefried and other actively serving LGB members of the armed forces, who will share their perspectives on serving following the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The panel will be introduced by NYSE Euronext COO Lawrence Leibowitz, and moderated by former Interbank Roundtable Committee Co-Chair and Citibank Director Andrew Sendall, who is a former US Air Force officer.

At 4:00 p.m. EDT, the group of actively serving LGB service members will ring The NYSE Closing Bell®.

At 5:30, the service members will move to RockBar, located at 185 Christopher Street, where they will be the honored guests at an OutServe-SLDN Happy Hour to kick off New York City Pride Weekend. The public is invited to the Happy Hour event, which will feature performances by The Broadway Boys. Tickets start at $25 and are available here: http://osnycpride.eventbrite.com/

ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

ABOUT NYSE EURONEXT: NYSE Euronext (NYX) is a leading global operator of financial markets and provider of innovative trading technologies. The company's exchanges in Europe and the United States trade equities, futures, options, fixed-income and exchange-traded products. With approximately 8,000 listed issues (excluding European Structured Products), NYSE Euronext's equities markets - the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Euronext, NYSE MKT, NYSE Alternext and NYSE Arca - represent one-third of the world’s equities trading, the most liquidity of any global exchange group. NYSE Euronext also operates NYSE Liffe, one of the leading European derivatives businesses and the world's second-largest derivatives business by value of trading. The company offers comprehensive commercial technology, connectivity and market data products and services through NYSE Technologies. NYSE Euronext is in the S&P 500 index. For more information, please visit: http://www.nyx.com.

ABOUT INTERBANK ROUNDTABLE COMMITTEE: The Interbank Roundtable Committee’s (IRC) is a voluntary NY-based ‘network of networks’ with representatives from 28 financial services industry organization’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Employee Resource Groups (ERG). The IRC serves as an open forum where members share best practices on promoting inclusive work environments and policies, engaging senior management and straight allies, building ERG membership and coordinating networking, professional development, and philanthropic activities across the industry. The IRC helps members build their professional network within the financial industry, while also promoting the financial industry as the industry of choice for LGBT individuals. For more information, visit www.interbanknyc.org.

The Department of Defense had set a goal of August 31, 2013 for implementing the benefits extension, but did not have firm deadline before October 1, 2013. Now it appears the Department of Defense will implement this extension on the early side of the implementation window. The benefits extension policy was announced on February 11, 2013 by then-Secretary of Defense Panetta after lengthy advocacy by OutServe-SLDN to do so. Secretary Hagel reconfirmed his commitment to extending these benefits in a memo dated April 24, 2013.

For a comprehensive FAQ and explanation of the benefits extension, please see: http://www.outserve-sldn.org/content/pages/3677/

For immediate release: Saturday, June 8, 2013
Contact: Zeke Stokes at 202-621-5406 or zeke@outserve-sldn.org 

Air Force Major General Patricia Rose Pins on Second Star

(WASHINGTON, DC) OutServe-SLDN extends congratulations to Major General Patricia “Trish” Rose, who became the U.S. military’s highest ranking out gay officer, and her wife, retired Naval officer Julie Roth.

“Our congratulations go out to Major General Rose and Lieutenant Roth, both for General Rose’s promotion and for their integrity in being honest and open about who they are,” said Allyson Robinson, Army veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director. “These are our core values, and they set an example for our troops that it is our courage and our diversity that make us strong.”  

Rose’s promotion ceremony was held on May 31, led by her direct supervisor, General Janet Wolfenbarger, the first female four-star general in the United States Air Force. With a small crowd in attendance, Rose's wife pinned her second star.

Rose is the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. A logistician, she's served assignments in both aircraft maintenance and transportation in seven different commands. Her reserve assignments include command of the 36th Aerial Port Squadron at McChord AFB, Washington, where her squadron won the dual distinction of being selected for an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and Air Mobility Command's Total Force Air Reserve Component Aerial Port Unit of the Year.

Rose and Roth were legally married in their home state of Washington after marriage equality became legal in the state last year. When Rose earned her first star, she asked her friend and neighbor, Colonel Grethe Cammermeyer, to pin it in a private promotion ceremony. Cammermeyer, a fellow Washingtonian, was ejected from the Washington National Guard for admitting she was gay and became a prominent advocate for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Her story was told in the film "Serving in Silence.”

In her civilian capacity, Rose is the public relations and marketing director for a local hospital.

“I’m particularly proud of the Air Force, and of our Reserve components, for continuing to demonstrate that our diversity is our strength,” said Josh Seefried, Co-Chair of the OutServe-SLDN board of directors. "Our best wishes go to Major General Rose and her wife – as well as our gratitude for their integrity in demonstrating the Air Force’s commitment to family as well as to service.”

ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

Contact: Zeke Stokes at
202-621-5406 or zeke@outserve-sldn.org

Anti-religion, anti-gay measure adopted to NDAA in committee vote
Meanwhile, Robinson praises Ranking Member for Supporting Military Family Equality

(Washington, DC) Tonight, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) adopted an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) put forth by Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) that would compromise religious liberties of service members, erode the ability of military commanders to protect good order and discipline, and undermine the successful implementation of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal.

“Religious liberty is a core American value, and we support the accommodation of all beliefs. What we can never support is legislation that sanctions one belief at the expense of others and places unit cohesion, the safety of our troops, and their ability to accomplish the mission in jeopardy, and that’s exactly what this bill would do,” said Army veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson, an ordained Baptist minister.

If enacted, the Fleming amendment would protect inappropriate, defamatory, and discriminatory speech and actions – a significant expansion of current protections for beliefs – and would leave commanders with no recourse against such prejudicial conduct when it occurs in their units. Robinson said today that the military already has in place adequate protections for religious freedom and that the measure is unwarranted.

“The military already has in place policies that adequately protect a service member’s personal beliefs while also protecting unit cohesion and good order and discipline. This amendment is nothing but a thinly veiled attempt to sabotage the climate of inclusion and respect for all that our Commander-in-Chief and Secretary of Defense have called for in our military, and would create a license to bully, harass, and discriminate against service members based on religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any number of other characteristics,” said Robinson.

Robinson also said the measure would undermine the authority of military commanders.

“This amendment takes an authority this nation has entrusted to commanders in the field since its founding – the authority to exercise appropriate control over their troops’ ‘actions or speech’ to maintain good order and discipline – and puts it in the hands of politicians in Washington. As someone who has led soldiers in the field, I can tell you that is an untenable situation,” said Robinson.

In addition, during tonight’s debate, Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), ranking member on HASC, introduced and withdrew key elements of the Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act (MSET) that would ensure equal benefits, recognition, and support for all military spouses.

“This important gesture is a reminder that the families of gay and lesbian service members are still not treated equally and that the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ did not impact that reality. Congressman Smith is a tenacious fighter for equality in our military and for our troops and we are grateful for all his work to that end,” said Robinson.

The Senate will begin debating its own version of the bill later this month.

ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

For immediate release:

Contact: Zeke Stokes at
202-621-5406 or zeke@outserve-sldn.org

Department of Defense Honors LGBT Pride Month for Second Consecutive Year
Robinson: Changing laws is the easy part; changing culture takes much longer

(WASHINGTON, DC) In a memorandum dated May 31, 2013, and signed by Clarence Johnson, Director of the Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity, the Department of Defense has designated June as LGBT Pride Month. Today, Army veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson praised Pentagon leadership for the action.

“It is appropriate and gratifying that Secretary Hagel and his leadership team would follow the historic precedent set last year by then-Secretary Leon Panetta by honoring LGBT Pride Month at the Department of Defense. Acknowledging the accomplishments and contributions of lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members sends an important message all the way down the chain of command: that our military is stronger, and our nation safer, because it includes them,” said Robinson.

While acknowledging transgender civilian DOD employees, the memorandum notably omits any mention of the contributions of transgender people in uniform – presumably because transgender people remain barred from service by outdated and obsolete medical regulations. Robinson called out the omission.

“Transgender people have served this nation with pride, honor, and distinction – and continue to do so in the hundreds, if not thousands. It’s past time to honor them for their service and sacrifice, and past time to end the discredited and obsolete practice of forcing them to serve in silence and fear,” said Robinson.

OutServe-SLDN members and supporters will be participating in more than twenty LGBT Pride events around the world this summer. For more information on the OS-SLDN Pride Celebration, click here.

About OutServe-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

I have a flag that I'm technically not allowed to have. It's the flag that was draped over my wife's coffin at her funeral on Feb. 10. It is military custom to personally and proudly present that flag to the spouse of a fallen soldier, but because my wife, CW2 Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard, was married to a woman instead of to a man, our marriage doesn't exist in the eyes of the government that she served for 17 years.

Charlie was an amazing wife, mother and soldier who died in February after a five-year battle with metastatic breast cancer. But in our 16 years together, cancer wasn't the only battle that we fought. Even as Charlie served her country, we lived as a family in hiding, with the discriminatory "don't ask, don't tell" policy hanging over our every move. It was only when DADT was lifted in 2010 that we could safely be a family in the eyes of the military and make the public promise of marriage to each other.

But our short-lived celebration quickly came to a halt when we realized that the federal Defense of Marriage Act still prohibited the military from acknowledging both our 10-year civil union and our legal New Hampshire marriage. It dawned on us that if Charlie were to lose her battle with cancer, I would not be viewed as her wife. I would not be assured the financial protections that military spouses depend on in the wake of losing a life partner.

I was terrified. I couldn't stop worrying about what this meant for our 5-year-old daughter, Casey Elena. Charlie was a soldier in every sense of the word, and she fought her final battle ferociously so that others wouldn't have to go through that same pain. In the end, cancer claimed Charlie before the battle was won.

Now I keep fighting in her memory. In March, just weeks after losing my wife, I watched with tears in my eyes as the cases against both DOMA and California's Proposition 8 made their way to the Supreme Court of the United States. I had that strength only because of Charlie. She dedicated her life to her country and her family, and before she died, she made me promise never to give up.

Since Charlie's death, I have applied and been rejected for survivorship benefits, such as VA and Social Security benefits that would have automatically been available to a heterosexual spouse. I do not have access to the health insurance that heterosexual spouses have when their loved one dies on active duty. When I die, I will not be allowed to be buried beside my wife in the veterans' cemetery.

Facing this future as a second-class citizen, I desperately hope that the Supreme Court will bring equality to all gay families and strike down DOMA. It haunts almost every aspect of our lives, and it doesn't measure up to the litmus test of freedom and equality that we've set as a standard for our way of life in the United States. It's time for freedom and justice to prevail, and for those who purport to stand for those values to apply them fairly to all the citizens of our country.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Karen Morgan lives in New Hampshire and is the widow of Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan. She remains a plaintiff in OutServe-SLDN’s federal lawsuit McLaughlin v. Panetta, which is challenging the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in federal court.

Contact: Respect For Marriage Coalition Office / 202-567-5720
press@respectformarriage.org

Military Veterans, Service Members and Advocates Call for Equality Ahead of Memorial Day

Washington, D.C.— In advance of Memorial Day, Former Congressman, Army Captain and Iraq War Veteran Patrick Murphy joined Outserve-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson, American Military Partner Association Director of Family Affairs Ashley Broadway and military widow Karen Morgan to highlight the harms of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on the nation’s military and to urge the Supreme Court to strike down the discriminatory law and extend the freedom to marry nationwide.

According to Gallup, LGBT Americans make up 3.5 percent of the overall population. Assuming the same proportion of LGBT service members exists among the 1.5 million active and reserve members currently enlisted in the armed forces, between 50,000-60,000 members of the military would be unjustly affected by DOMA if or when they are married.

While DOMA harms all married same-sex couples, it is particularly hostile to those serving in the military, where 70 percent of an active-duty service member’s compensation comes in the form of benefits and allowances. Withholding such a significant portion of these benefits, which are intended to care for the spouse of a military member, inflicts significant financial burdens on military families headed by same-sex spouses.

“The harms of DOMA aren’t abstract—they are real tangible injustices that hurt children and their parents,” said former Congressman Patrick Murphy. “For those serving our country, equality delayed is equality denied. The same benefits and opportunities should be available to every service member and their family.”

Yesterday, Freedom to Marry and OutServe-SLDN released a video that tells that story of Karen Morgan who, because of DOMA, faces innumerable challenges following the loss of her wife, CW2 Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard.

“DOMA haunts almost every aspect of my family’s life, and it doesn’t measure up to our values of freedom and equality that we’ve set as a standard for our way of life in the United States,” said Morgan. “It’s time for the best of who we are as a nation to prevail so that equality is applied fairly to all the citizens of our country.”

“Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan was a courageous fighter for our country, for her family, and for the equality of all who wear the uniform of our nation. Today, her wife Karen carries on that fight, a fight no military spouse should ever have to wage. The time has come to end the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and ensure equal recognition, benefits, and support for all loving and committed military couples and their families,” said Army veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.

Because DOMA defines marriage for federal purposes as “between one man and one woman,” same-sex military couples cannot qualify for many protections available to other couples, including health care, housing assistance, primary next of kin status and survivor’s benefits.

“For far too long, our LGBT military families have been treated as if they aren't important and as if they don't matter,” said Ashley Broadway of the American Military Partner Association, the nation’s premier resource and support network for LGBT military families. “We serve our nation, but without the same support and benefits needed to care for our families. For the sake of our children and family readiness, we must end the discrimination and exclusion caused by DOMA.”

Next month, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule in United States v. Windsor, which challenges the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. If DOMA is struck down, the Court’s ruling would have an historic and monumental impact in establishing equal treatment for all service members and their families.

# # #

ABOUT THE RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE COALITION: The Respect for Marriage Coalition is a partnership of more than 100 civil rights, faith, health, labor, business, legal, LGBT, student, and women's organizations working together to end the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and grow support for the freedom to marry. The Coalition is co-chaired by Freedom to Marry and the Human Rights Campaign.

Contacts: Nicole Collins Bronzan, Communications Director, Freedom to Marry
at nicole@freedomtomarry.org, 646-375-2044 or

Zeke Stokes, Director of External Engagement, OutServe-SLDN
at zeke@outserve-sldn.org, 202-621-5406

New Video Details Harm Done By DOMA to Military Widow
National Media Conference Call Scheduled for Wednesday 

(Washington, DC) Today Freedom to Marry and OutServe-SLDN released the latest video in their “Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry” series, featuring Karen Morgan, the widow of Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard. The video can be viewed here. Morgan will also be featured in a Respect for Marriage Coalition press call tomorrow of military officials, service members and advocacy group leaders on the financial inequality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA); call details are below. Select video footage is by The Legal Stranger Project. 

CW2 Morgan succumbed to breast cancer in February after a five-year battle. Even though the Morgans were legally married in New Hampshire, the so-called Defense of Marriage Act doesn’t allow the military to recognize Karen Morgan as her wife. Now, in the wake of her family’s loss, Morgan faces financial uncertainty amid her grief, because she is not eligible for survivorship benefits she needs to care for their 5-year-old daughter, Casey Elena.

"It's hard for me, as a parent, to explain the situation to my daughter, because she has no language for discrimination. She knows and is aware that I am not able to have a military identification card, I can't get onto base," Morgan says in the video. She ends by reiterating her promise to her wife: "I will see this fight against DOMA through to the end."

“Though more and more states do the right thing by ending marriage discrimination, the federal government continues to treat widows like Karen Morgan as second-class citizens because of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry. “As gay and lesbian soldiers risk their lives for our country every day, this disrespectful treatment of military families is a stain on our nation’s honor. Karen should be able to work through her grief like any other military spouse – instead of facing the added stress of worrying how to pay the bills. It’s time for Congress to stand up for fairness and dignity for our military families by overturning the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and passing the Respect for Marriage Act.”

"Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan was a courageous fighter for our country, for her family, and for the equality of all who wear the uniform of our nation. Today, her wife Karen carries on that fight, a fight no military spouse should ever have to wage. The time has come to end the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and ensure equal recognition, benefits, and support for all loving and committed military couples and their families," said Army veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.

As the nation awaits the Supreme Court’s ruling on DOMA’s denial of federal benefits to married couples who are gay, Morgan remains a plaintiff in OutServe-SLDN’s federal lawsuit, McLaughlin v. Panetta, challenging it in federal court.

Respect for Marriage Coalition Press Call:

WHAT:
Military officials, service members and advocacy group leaders participate in press conference call on the financial inequality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

WHO:
Patrick Murphy, Former Congressman, Army Captain, Iraq War Veteran and CAP Senior Fellow
Allyson Robinson, Executive Director, Outserve-SLDN
Karen Morgan, Widow of the late Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan
Ashley Broadway, Director of Family Affairs, American Military Partner Association

WHEN:
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. ET

DIAL IN INFORMATION:
Dial In: (855) 212-9067
Conference ID #: 75417987

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ABOUT FREEDOM TO MARRY: Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.

ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world. It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

ABOUT THE LEGAL STRANGER PROJECT: Through contemporary interviews and verite style footage, The Legal Stranger Project documents a series of stories conveying the disparities encountered by same-sex couples under DOMA, which allows the federal government to recognize these couples as “legal strangers.” Select footage for the video is by the Project. For more information, visit www.legalstranger.com.

Pentagon Recognizes Transgender Veteran with OutServe-SLDN Assistance.

OutServe-SLDN Board of Directors Adopts New Mission Statement. Last weekend in Washington, DC, the OutServe-SLDN Board of Directors met to finalize and approve a new mission statement for the organization that focuses on growing OS-SLDN for the future beyond just the achievement of our policy initiatives. To see the new mission, click here. 

Join the OutServe-SLDN Online Town Hall Saturday at 2 p.m. EDT.  OutServe-SLDN will host its second online town hall meeting on Saturday, May 18 at 2 p.m. EDT for members and supporters. The event - a Google Hangout entitled "A new era, a new kind of organization" - will focus on the recent adoption of a refined mission statement by the OutServe-SLDN Board of Directors, provide a preview of the new membership structure about to be announced publicly, and allow participants to submit questions to OS-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson and Director of Chapter and Member Services Gary Espinas. For more information, including directions for participation, click here.

OutServe-SLDN in Seattle Next Week. OutServe-SLDN will host a reception in Seattle, WA next weekend. Ticket prices start at just $25 and may be purchased here.

The Pentagon formally recognized earlier this month that there are transgender veterans — a step that LGBT advocates say is a long way from open transgender service in the military, but also a significant first step in that process.

In a short letter dated May 2, a Navy official told Autumn Sandeen, a veteran and transgender activist: “Per your request the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) has been updated to show your gender as female effective April 12, 2013.”

Sandeen’s military identification card now reflects the change, a move called “quite significant” by the head of OutServe-SLDN, a national organization for LGBT service members and veterans and their families.

“The fact that a process exists [to change the gender listed] indicates that there are people in the Department of Defense who are aware of the needs of transgender retirees and who are working to see those needs met. And, in that sense, the significance of this symbolic act for our broader work and for our goal of open service becomes I think a little bit more apparent,” OutServe-SLDN executive director Allyson Robinson told BuzzFeed.

To read the entire article click here.

I was invited by the Committee to submit testimony, which I was honored to provide. In my testimony, which you can read here, I discuss Charlie's effort to see DOMA and other discriminatory provisions repealed. I also convey to the Committee why the Charlie Morgan Act is necessary regardless of what the Supreme Court does with DOMA. I hope that you take a moment to learn more about this important piece of legislation. You can read more here.

Contact: Zeke Stokes at
202-621-5406 or zeke@outserve-sldn.org

C-Bus of Love Headed to Washington DC in June
OutServe-SLDN DOMA plaintiffs set to lead road trip for equality that will bring same-sex couples to the nation’s capital to be married in front of the U.S. Supreme Court

Meet the couples here. 

(Columbus, OH) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson announced today that the organization has become an official sponsor of a bus trip that will bring same-sex couples from across the country to Washington, DC, in June to be married in a jurisdiction where their marriages are legal and recognized. Twenty-five couples - from the states of Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia - will ride the “C-Bus of Love,” traveling from Columbus, OH to our Nation’s capital, where they be making their lifelong commitments in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. The trip is organized by two plaintiffs in OutServe-SLDN’s landmark court challenge to the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, Army Major Stephen Snyder-Hill and his husband, Joshua Snyder-Hill.

“Stephen and I had the great privilege of being married in Washington, DC two years ago after the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repeal Act was passed by the Congress, and we wanted to be able to give this unique gift to other committed and loving couples from states where the freedom to marry is not yet recognized. We are especially thrilled that we will be able to do it in front of the Supreme Court during the same month in which the Court may very well strike down DOMA once and for all,” said Joshua Snyder-Hill.

The trip, which will begin on Friday, June 21 in Columbus, is fully funded through private donations and will bring the couples to Washington, DC to be married before returning them to Columbus to celebrate that city’s pride weekend. The couples participating represent a combined 189 years of commitment to one another, including one couple that has been together more than 31 years. They range in age from 18 to 61 years old, and nine of the couples include at least one service member or veteran.

“This is a remarkable act of love and commitment on the part of these couples that illustrates just how ridiculous this cobbled-together, two-tiered system of marriage that has developed in our country really is. No committed and loving couple should have to go to these lengths in order to be married to one another, and OutServe-SLDN is proud to stand with them - and indeed ride alongside them - on this journey to full equality,” said OutServe-SLDN’s Robinson.

For more information on the trip, including bios of the participating couples, click here. The wedding of the couples will be streamed live on June 21, 2013 at this page: http://www.cbusoflove.com/

ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

Contact:
Angela Dallara
Communications Associate, Freedom to Marry
angela@freedomtomarry.org or 646-430-3925

Zeke Stokes
Director of External Engagement, OutServe-SLDN
zeke@outserve-sldn.org or 202-621-5406

Military Campaign Features Married Lesbian Couple Harmed by DOMA 

(New York City) Today Freedom to Marry and OutServe-SLDN released the latest in its “Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry” video series featuring Major Shannon McLaughlin and her wife, Casey McLaughlin, spotlighting the harms of federal marriage discrimination to their family. Although they are legally married in the State of Massachusetts, the McLaughlins are not treated the same as other military couples because of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denies legally married same-sex couples more than 1,100 federal protections automatically granted to opposite-sex couples.

“Even as we end marriage discrimination in state after state, married gay and lesbian service members risking their lives for our country are still being denied protections for their families because of federal marriage discrimination,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry. “The sacrifices that soldiers like Major Shannon McLaughlin and their families make are not matched by equal respect, and equal treatment, from the government. It’s time to overturn the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and pass the Respect for Marriage Act to end federal marriage discrimination.”

The full video may be viewed here. Major Shannon McLaughlin and her wife Casey were first introduced by Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry in a previous video in the series several months ago, which can be viewed here.

“As we prepare to honor mothers across the country this weekend, let us not forget that many are not being treated equally in the eyes of the law. It’s time to end DOMA and forever relinquish this kind of discrimination to the dustbin of history. We cannot have a strong and effective military and maintain two classes of service members, and as long as DOMA is on the books, that’s exactly what we have,” said Army veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.

After leaving her job to take care of their twins, Grace and Grant, Casey was excluded from the health care plan that the rest of the family uses.

“DOMA presented itself as a huge problem once I went on maternity leave and, once the children were born, decided to stay at home,” she explains. She is not welcome to military functions or on base as a military spouse. “I am as much a military wife as anybody else … I want to be recognized and I want our kids to understand that they are the same as well,” Casey says in the video

Major Shannon McLaughlin agrees that for her, “a post-DOMA world” would be one where her wife is “respected, and she’s not singled out as not being as good as every other military wife or husband that’s there.”

ABOUT FREEDOM TO MARRY: Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.

ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

I recognize that there are big items on the agenda for our Department of Defense and specifically, for Secretary Chuck Hagel. Budget cuts. An historic draw down of troops. Mounting concerns in Syria. So it's understandable why the Pentagon's leadership may have felt this week that a controversial pastor leading its Day of Prayer event was just not at the top of the list to receive its attention. But here's why it should have been.

In the run-up to his February confirmation hearing, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel positioned himself unequivocally as an advocate for LGBT members of the armed forces. Setting aside questions about his motivations for doing so for a moment, it's fair to say that pragmatically, he had little choice. His soon-to-be boss, President Obama, counted the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" as one of his most important first-term successes, and the former Nebraska senator had anti-gay sins in his past that he needed to atone for before he could be considered a viable candidate for the job.

To read the entire story click here.

May 9: Synchronize your watches!  It's Give OUT Day!
We invite you to be part of history and join OutServe-SLDN as we participate in the first national Give OUT Day on May 9th. It's a great way to use your social media network to make a difference for our men and women in uniform, our veterans, and their families. For more information on making a contribution or creating your own page to raise money for OutServe-SLDN, click here. 

May 10: OutServe-SLDN's First-ever Hackathon & Reception
OutServe-SLDN will hold its first hackathon in Washington, DC, on Friday, May 10, 2013. The event is designed to be an opportunity to connect service members, veterans, computer programmers, and public relations professionals to collaborate on ways to grow the LGBT military equality movement and how OutServe-SLDN can better serve its members and supporters. To attend both - OR JUST THE RECEPTION - click here to purchase a ticket and reserve your space. 

May 23: OutServe-SLDN Hits Seattle
In the first stop on a summer tour that will take our message and our fundraising efforts to cities across the U.S., some of America's most iconic leaders in the fight for equality in our military host an event to pay tribute to America's LGBT service members, veterans, and their families. To find out more or purchase tickets, click here. 

Contact:
HRC: Charles Joughin | Charles.Joughin@hrc.org | 202-423-2885
OutServe-SLDN: Zeke Stokes | zeke@outserve-sldn.org | 202-621-5406

HRC and OutServe-SLDN Call for Pastor’s Removal from Pentagon Prayer Event
Organizations Launch Petition Campaign

WASHINGTON DC – Today the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, and OutServe-SLDN, the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel, veterans, families, and their supporters, are calling on the Pentagon to remove anti-gay Pastor Greg Laurie from the program of events at its National Day of Prayer on May 2, 2013. The groups have also launched a petition for Americans to urge the Pentagon to remove Laurie, who has a long vitriolic history of using anti-LGBT rhetoric and insists that being gay is a sin.

“Pastor Laurie’s message is out of step with what the majority of people of faith across this country believe,” said Dr. Sharon Groves, director of HRC’s Religion & Faith Program. “In greater numbers than ever before, people of faith are feeling compelled to speak up and organize for equality – because of their faith. It is time for him to listen to the religious voices that recognize supporting all LGBT people as a faith value."

"Mr. Laurie represents the worst our nation's communities of faith have to offer when it comes to fairness, justice, and equality. His hurtful, out-of-the-mainstream rhetoric stands at direct odds with the mission the Commander-in-Chief and the Secretary of Defense have laid out: that this nation's military will be an institution that respects the dignity and honors the service of our gay and lesbian service members, veterans, and their families," said Robinson, an ordained Baptist minister. “On behalf of our 6,000 members and their families, representing over 67,000 LGBT members of the armed forces, we call upon the Department of Defense to rescind their invitation to Pastor Laurie and invite in his place a faith leader who can speak with integrity and respect to the needs and concerns of all of our nation’s courageous service members,” she said.

Pastor Laurie and his Church’s implication that being gay is a choice is not only inaccurate; it’s also a dangerous assertion. The nation’s leading medical organizations are in lockstep agreement that efforts to change one’s sexual orientation can have harmful consequences. Full statements from the medical groups are available on HRC’s website.

Laurie will be participating in a prayer breakfast at the Pentagon Thursday morning. He will then lead the official observation of the National Day of Prayer from an event on Capitol Hill.

The petition can be viewed online here: https://www.change.org/petitions/u-s-department-of-defense-remove-anti-gay-pastor-greg-laurie-from-pentagon-day-of-prayer-on-5-2-13

About HRC: The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

About OutServe-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Contact: Zeke Stokes at

202-621-5406 or zeke@outserve-sldn.com

OutServe-SLDN Calls on Pentagon to Drop Anti-Gay Pastor from Day of Prayer

Divisive Greg Laurie Set to Headline Department of Defense Event

(WASHINGTON, DC) The Department of Defense is set to welcome Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Ministries, as the headline speaker for its Day of Prayer on May 2, 2013. Today, Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson called on the Pentagon to remove the pastor from the agenda, citing his blatantly anti-LGBT message.

"Mr. Laurie represents the worst our nation's communities of faith have to offer when it comes to fairness, justice, and equality. His hurtful, out-of-the-mainstream rhetoric stands at direct odds with the mission the Commander-in-Chief and the Secretary of Defense have laid out: that this nation's military will be an institution that respects the dignity and honors the service of our gay and lesbian service members, veterans, and their families," said Robinson, an ordained Baptist minister. “On behalf of our 6,000 members and their families, representing over 67,000 LGBT members of the armed forces, we call upon the Department of Defense to rescind their invitation to Pastor Laurie and invite in his place a faith leader who can speak with integrity and respect to the needs and concerns of all of our nation’s courageous service members,” she said.

Among Laurie's past comments are the following, as reported on October 31, 2012 by The Christian Post:

"God has established the order of the family. It's been said a family can survive without a nation, but a nation cannot survive without the family. God set it up – bringing a man and a woman together in marriage and then of course ultimately with children and grandchildren. That's his order. What does he start with? Honor your father and mother. Notice it says honor your father and mother. Not honor your father and father, or honor your mother and mother, or honor your mother and her live-in lover or her partner. We tamper with God's order at our own peril."

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About OutServe-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

Contact: Zeke Stokes
at 202-621-5406 or zeke@outserve-sldn.org

OutServe-SLDN Statement on the Confirmation of Eric Fanning

(Washington, DC) Army veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson today released the following statement regarding the confirmation of Eric Fanning as Undersecretary of the Air Force:

"OutServe-SLDN applauds the nomination and confirmation of Eric Fanning, who becomes the Undersecretary of the Air Force and the second-highest civilian official within the Department of the Air Force. This appointment is yet another example of this Administration's commitment to affirming the contributions and service of the LGBT community and underscores the new reality of open gay and lesbian service in our ranks. We look forward to working with him to advance the cause of full military equality."

About OutServe-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

Contact: Zeke Stokes at
202-621-5406 or zeke@outserve-sldn.org

Major Law Firms Join OutServe-SLDN’s Veteran Discharge Upgrade Project
Additional resources will help address high demand from LGBT veterans

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) OutServe-SLDN today announced that two major law firms have joined its ongoing project to assist those discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) or the prior regulations prohibiting gay and lesbian service in the military seeking changes to their discharge paperwork. The firms DLA Piper and Winston & Strawn will represent veterans pro bono to make changes to their discharge paperwork that includes upgrading of discharge characterizations, modifying the narrative reason for discharge, or changing the reentry code. Guidance from the Department of Defense, released in September 2011 as DADT repeal was taking effect, provides the pathway for making changes and upgrades. It is estimated that as many as 100,000 veterans may qualify for such assistance, and OutServe-SLDN has released an online toolkit that veterans may use to get the process started.

“Winston & Strawn is honored to partner with OutServe-SLDN to restore the dignity and honor that these former military personnel deserve,” said Peter Perkowski, Winston & Strawn partner and OutServe-SLDN Board member. “It is our hope that by upgrading their discharge characterizations, our clients can wipe away the insults of the past that these records represent.”

“This project aligns perfectly with DLA Piper’s long-standing commitment to providing legal and community services to veterans and active duty military personnel across the country,” said Roberta Ritvo, senior pro bono counsel at DLA Piper. “As we continue to expand and deepen our pro bono support for veterans, we are honored to collaborate with OutServe-SLDN to help build upon the remarkable work they’ve done for LGBT veterans to date and extend these services to the thousands of other veterans eligible to upgrade their discharge paperwork.”

Since the initiative was launched in 2011, OutServe-SLDN has assisted more than 240 veterans seeking to upgrade or change their discharge paperwork.

“Veterans who come to us for this assistance often do so for reasons of personal dignity and setting the record straight about their honorable service to our country. Just as often, there's also a very practical reason, like urgently needed medical benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs or issues of employment. Employers routinely request discharge paperwork when reviewing job applicants who have prior military service. A narrative reason for separation of 'homosexuality' or a negative re-entry code can mean forcing veterans to out themselves to future employers or being denied employment altogether," McKean said.

Through the online tool, veterans who believe they may qualify are able to connect with the National Archives Veterans Records Office to obtain copies of their discharge paperwork, as well as provide necessary information to OutServe-SLDN in just a few easy steps in order to begin processing.

"Since repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ word has spread rapidly about this opportunity, and our attorneys have experienced a surge in calls from veterans seeking our services. The addition of three law firms providing pro bono services will help address this demand. We urge anyone interested in this assistance to contact our office and let us help," said OutServe-SLDN Legal Director David McKean.

Since 2011, OutServe-SLDN has served veterans seeking this assistance who were discharged as far back as World War II. An early success was on behalf of Melvin Dwork, a World War II veteran who served in the Navy and was discharged in 1944 for being gay. Dwork sought legal assistance in early 2011 to upgrade his discharge paperwork and it was granted in September 2011. The result was an "honorable" discharge in place of the previous "Undesirable" characterization, allowing Dwork to qualify for long overdue benefits, and with them, in his words, the satisfaction "of righting a wrong" that was nearly 70 years old.

Veterans interested in more information should visit www.outserve-sldn.org/page/s/vetdischargechanges or call OutServe-SLDN’s free hotline at 1-800-538-7418.

About DLA Piper: DLA Piper is a global law firm with 4,200 lawyers located in more than 30 countries throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East, positioning it to help companies with their legal needs anywhere in the world. In certain jurisdictions, this information may be considered attorney advertising. For more information, visit www.dlapiper.com.

About Winston & Strawn: Winston & Strawn LLP is an international commercial law firm with 15 offices across North America, Asia and Europe. More information about the firm is available at www.winston.com.

About OutServe-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.