Frontlines, The SLDN Blog

What Can Be Done Now on DADT

2009-07-07T22:08:53-05:00

By Aubrey Sarvis
Huffington Post
July 7, 2009

This is getting ridiculous. In fact, it's beyond ridiculous -- if it weren't so sad. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is fast becoming the buck that never stops. It's passed from Congress to the Pentagon to the White House and back again. And again. And again. The gift that keeps on giving? Thank you, Congress.

Yes, President Obama has tested the patience of many when it comes to the speed -- or rather the lack of it -- in fulfilling his promises on gay rights in general and "don't ask, don't tell" in particular. He talks the talk -- and quite eloquently, too -- but his walk is still tentative and at times wobbly. Yes, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and their Chairman, Admiral Mullen, and their boss Defense Secretary Robert Gates have been dragging their feet. No big surprise there. But the fact is, 16 years ago Congress passed this offensive law and Congress owns it today. But Congress could easily disown it.

Opportunity awaits when the Senators return to Washington this week. In short order they will be debating the Defense Department budget. All the Senators need do is pass an amendment to the Defense Department bill directing Secretary Gates to stop DADT investigations while Congress acts on full repeal. A simple, straightforward way for the Senate to begin undoing the mess the Senate created is to add language to the Defense authorization bill that "directs the Secretary of Defense to instruct the Secretaries of each of the armed services that there may be no investigation or inquiry into, or any administrative action relating to conduct described in 10 U.S.C. § 654(b), 'Policy concerning homosexuality in the armed forces,' until the end of the 111th Congress, provided that this shall not limit the authority of the Secretaries of the armed services with respect to conduct that would violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice."

The Senate Democratic caucus, now sixty members strong, should eagerly get behind this amendment. Moderate and responsible Republicans and Independents can and should support it. In fact, is there a single Senator who, in a time of two wars, wants to stand up on the Senate floor and say of patriotic service members who have volunteered to fight and if necessary give their lives for their country, "They're gay. Kick 'em out"?

When the Senate passes this amendment to the Defense authorization bill (notice I say "when," not "if"; I'm an optimist), it goes back to the House where Speaker Pelosi can show that she and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are in this fight -- this fight that never should have been a fight -- together.

Even Secretary Gates has moved from "the president and I feel like we've got a lot on our plates right now and let's push that one [DADT] down the road a little bit" (last March) to "if we do it" (last April) to seeing "if there's at least a more humane way to apply the law until the law gets changed" (last week). Humane? Well, I won't quibble; at least he's moved from if to when, and he was discussing it with the senior military and with the president the week before. In his press conference last week, the Secretary said the question is "how do we begin to do preparations" and at the same time how does "the administration move forward in terms of asking the Congress to change the law"? He's also looking at what "flexibility" there is in the law as it now stands. Well, that's progress. Not nearly enough progress but it's still progress. Only General Colin Powell and former Senator Sam Nunn, both largely responsible for "don't ask, don't tell" in the first place, are still calling for yet another review, another "study" -- but not for repeal.

The New Republic takes the president to task in a tough editorial this week. "[N]othing is more infuriating than Obama's refusal to act on Don't Ask, Don't Tell. . . . discrimination in our armed forces carries a potent symbolism: It tells an entire class of people that the country is not interested in their service."

The editorial cites the Gallup poll showing 69 percent of Americans believe that gays should be able to serve their country openly. "To put that number in perspective, it is 25 points higher than the percentage of Americans who endorse Obama's handling of health care, 19 points higher than the percentage who currently support the war in Afghanistan, and 18 points higher than the percentage who approve of the administration's economic policies. Obama is not afraid to push health care reform, send more troops to Afghanistan, or stand by his stimulus program -- nor should he be. But why, when it comes to the far less controversial cause of gays serving in the military, is he apparently willing to punt?"

They've all been punting -- the president, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the United States Congress as well. Surely these men and women are not wimps. Now let the Senate amend the Defense authorization bill, let the Pentagon and the president support it loud and clear, let the House endorse it, and the president sign it. Then the president and the Congress can work together to wipe this entire shameful law off the books. For good.

Remembering Pfc. Barry Winchell on the 10th Anniversary of His Murder

2009-07-06T22:44:37-05:00

By Michael Rowe
Huffington Post
July 6, 2009

Pfc. Barry L. Winchell of the 101st Airborne Infantry was murdered in his bed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in the pre-dawn hours of July 5th, 1999 while he lay sleeping. His killer, a nineteen year old fellow soldier wielding a Louisville Slugger baseball bat, struck him with such savage ferocity that bits of Winchell's brain and bone, mixed with blood, sprayed against the wall behind his bed like a red halo.

Barry Winchell never regained consciousness. He died of massive head injuries at Vanderbilt Hospital on July 6th, when his grief-stricken mother, Pat Kutteles, kissed her only son goodbye, and watched as a machine tracked the life leaving her son's shattered body; the same body she'd once wrapped in blankets and held in her arms. He was twenty-two years old.

The vision of hell visited upon Pat Kutteles ten years ago was very much on my mind this past Independence Day weekend, and not only because it's the tenth anniversary of the murder of her only child.

Barry Winchell was also one of the earliest martyrs to Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Four months earlier, Winchell, who identified as straight, had become romantically involved with a transsexual woman named Calpernia Addam, a nightclub performer in nearby Nashville. When his roommate, Justin Fisher, became aware of this, he turned Winchell's life into a waking nightmare of harassment, innuendo, and rumor.

Branding Barry Winchell "the faggot" was a cruelly effective enterprise: under the terms of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Winchell had no choice but to keep his head down and endure the escalating brutality. Mentioning it, or even revealing the increasingly sinister abuse, would have meant his expulsion from the army. So he didn't complain. He didn't tell anyone, not his commanding officers, not his girlfriend, Calpernia Addams.

And especially not his parents, Pat and Wally Kutteles back home in Kansas City.

For his part, Justin Fisher appeared to have found the ultimate solution to the problem posed by "the faggot" Barry Winchell. On July 4, 1999, after a barbecue on the base accompanied by a great deal of alcohol, Fisher spent the afternoon needling and goading nineteen year old Calvin Glover about a fight he'd lost to Barry Winchell earlier in the day.

What sort of a man, Fisher taunted, what sort of a real man would lose a fight to a faggot like Barry Winchell?

Glover, already emotionally disturbed, and growing drunker and drunker as the shadows of the day grew longer, would have been easy to taunt. Goading him to the point of murder would have been like lighting a long fuse on a raft of Independence Day fireworks. When the midnight hour came and went, Fisher put the baseball bat into Glover's hands and aimed him, fatally, into the darkness towards Barry Winchell's sleeping form. In the classic hate crime modus operandi, the bat only struck Winchell's head, face, and upper torso area, as if Glover were trying to not only kill his victim, but to obliterate any trace of what he represented.

I spent the summer of 2002 on assignment for The Advocate on the set of Soldier's Girl, the Ron Nyswaner-directed film of Barry Winchell's last months. Soldier's Girl is told primarily from the point of view of Calpernia Addams. It would go on to win the Peabody Award for Nyswaner, and secure Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for its stars, Troy Garity and Lee Pace. It's a beautiful and powerful film about the terrible cost of love and courage.

But I felt I needed the missing part of the story in my reportage, so in the winter of 2003, I flew to Kansas City to meet, and spend the day with Pat Kutteles and her husband, Wally, who had by then become activists against Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Barry's murder had put Pat and Wally Kutteles in an odd position. While their son didn't identify as gay, he was the victim of an anti-gay hate crime. One that simmered, then reached a boiling point, under the restrictions Don't Ask, Don't Tell kept him from reporting.

"When I found out what happened to Barry, and why -- that it was a hate crime -- I went after the military," Pat told me. "Barry was pointed out and labeled gay. He was harassed daily for four months. What about the safety of the other men and women in the military, the gays and lesbians who are just trying to serve their country? What about their safety? They have parents, they have families, and no one is protecting them. If we don't fight against hate crimes, and for those people who are targeted, I feel as is we're letting Barry down. Because that's what Barry would have fought for. [As a soldier] he would have fought for the rights of everybody. No matter how hard it is, no matter how long it takes, I have to fight for my son's ideals. And that's what we're doing.

The Barry Winchell Courage Award is presented every year by Pat and Wally Kutteles in their son's memory at the annual Servicemen's Legal Defense Network's annual dinner.

Every year, Barry's parents travel to Washington at their own expense to talk to Congress about what happened to their son, reliving the horror of his murder anew, ripping open emotional wounds that are nearly unimaginable to most people in an attempt to convince lawmakers of the terrible flaws of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

If their voices are drowned out, ten years later, by the roar of more general outrage over this discriminatory policy, their voices are among the original ones -- still strong, still constant, and still unforgiving in the truths they tell.

Even though a reported 75% of Americans support the complete repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the Obama administration continues to dither and waffle about the policy, with Colin Powell recently suggesting that it be "reviewed" -- by now familiar Washington-speak for wheel-spinning as long as possible in the hope that critics calling for the immediate fulfillment of one of Obama's most important campaign promises, will be at least temporarily appeased.

Against this cold gray-flannel wall of slick political opportunism comes the seared, cauterized, open heart of Pat Kutteles and the memory of her murdered son.

The real cost of Don't Ask, Don't Tell has always been the human one -- Barry Winchell's life, of course, beaten out of him with a baseball bat over the 4th of July weekend 10 years ago while, all across the country, his fellow Americans -- the ones he'd sworn an oath to defend -- were celebrating freedom and independence, and all the ideals that make the United States a beacon of freedom and democracy, a clarion call to the pursuit of the highest human ideals.

But also the lives and careers of thousands of American soldiers, patriots all, sons and daughters all, who would have been willing and proud to lay those lives down in the service of their fellow Americans.

Today they have names like Dan Choi and Victor Fehrenbach. Tomorrow, sadly, they will have other names.

As for me, I learned everything I needed to know about true courage from a bereaved mother in a cemetery in Kansas City in 2003. At Barry's grave, as the amber winter sun died in black midwinter wind, it was I who wept, and Pat Kutteles held me.

"I feel Barry died for a reason," she'd told me. "I feel that there's a reason things happen. That's also one of the reasons I keep fighting. That gives me comfort, in a way. I don't know that there's anything that gives me total comfort, though. Sometimes when we're home alone, going through our day-to-day stuff, I feel alone. I feel that there's nobody who really cares what kind of a person he was. No one who shares our anger and our grief over what's happening to others out there. And then something will happen that reminds us that there are people out there who care, and who are fighting with us. Then I feel a little bit better. But often I feel like I'm really alone, and really, really missing my child."

Death, Anxiety, and Questions in San Diego and at Camp Pendleton

2009-07-04T17:09:11-05:00

This Fourth of July we are saddened by the death of one of our LGBT service members, Seaman August Provost of Houston, Texas, who was found dead Tuesday morning on Camp Pendleton. Today we extend our deepest sympathy to the Provost family and loved ones. We cannot imagine the pain and puzzlement, and, yes, anger, they must be feeling. Who could have been motivated to do this and why? Our prayers and thoughts are with the family and loved ones. We are awaiting their guidance on what our next steps should be in this case.

We don't know all the facts surrounding Seaman Provost's death or precisely where the investigation stands. But we do want and need answers, and we need to see concrete signs that the investigation of this homicide proceeds without delay according to the books.

We also have to let the Navy do its job here. There is no evidence they are not doing it.

At SLDN we have expressed our concern about Seaman Provost's death to the White House, the Secretary of the Navy, to congressional committees , and to the Navy's chief spokesman. We have also offered the services of the SLDN Legal Team to NCIS pointing out we stand ready to work with investigators on the ground and that we have experience and expertise in this area and may well receive information that might not be made available to the field investigators during the normal course of their work.

We continue to urge LGBT service members in the area who may have knowledge of the deceased and/or of the homicide to contact us for a consultation before they engage with investigators. To speak with an attorney, LGBT service members can contact SLDN's Legal Department by either calling (202) 328-3244 x 100 or e-mailing us at legal@sldn.org.

This senseless death makes us all sad and it underscores the vulnerabilities of gay service members. It also reminds us that LGBT service members forced to serve in silence under DADT have a heavy and additional burden to carry every day. Time and the findings of the investigation will tell if sexual orientation or race were factors in this death. SLDN will be monitoring very closely and if we need to interject ourselves into the investigation on the ground at a critical point we will not hesitate to do so.

Renew the Fight for Repeal this July 4th

2009-07-04T14:00:13-05:00

As you celebrate with your family and friends this July 4th to remember our nation's struggle for independence, I ask you to pause for a moment and think of the service members who are serving our country under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." These patriotic Americans are serving honorably and defending our freedom while serving in silence. I will be thinking about my friends who are currently serving, as well as thanking the ones who have finished their service for one reason or another.

Every patriotic holiday that comes and goes always brings back the memories of my childhood growing up as an Air Force brat as well as my own service in the Air Force. I am reminded of all the July 4th celebrations spent overseas and how proud I was that my dad served in the military. The times I have marched in a parade wearing my uniform, proud and honored to serve my country. But those days have come and gone, since I am no longer in the Air Force. Next month will mark 7 years since I was discharged from AFROTC for my "Failure to Maintain Military Retention Standards (homosexual conduct)," as stated in my official paperwork. My 5 years of active duty service or the fact I was ranked #1 in my class and had a pilot slot didn't matter. It only mattered that someone said I was gay.

Even after 7 years, I still look forward to the day I can go back in. Why you ask? Because the sense of duty, honor, and willingness to serve becomes instilled in you. I know I have earned the right to serve my country and will continue to fight until that happens. I have hope and I know change is on the horizon. But change doesn't just happen. You have to fight for it, and fight I will!

So this July 4th I send a shout out to all of the LGBT service members who are currently serving and those who have served this great country. You are all proud patriotic Americans, and no one can take that away from you!

Remembering the Freedom to Serve this Independence Day

2009-07-03T14:00:00-05:00

During the summer of 1999, I enlisted in the United States Air Force (USAF). I had four goals in mind. These goals were to finish my undergraduate degree, become an officer, dedicate at least 20 years to the USAF, and travel.

Unfortunately, my goals were cut short and my nine-year career ended after I was outed to my commander by a civilian. I was discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT).

Overturning DADT means so much to me. This law creates stress and significantly lowers the morale of military members every day that it remains in effect. Under DADT, service members are forced to hide who they are or risk losing the opportunity to serve their country.

I am grateful that we have the opportunity to celebrate our country's freedom this Independence Day. Every day young men and women are joining the armed forces and others are re-enlisting to fight so that our country can remain free. EVERY qualified American should have the freedom to defend our country as a service member, regardless of sexual orientation.

SLDN Staff Honors Darren Manzella

2009-07-02T13:20:27-05:00

As we prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July, we here at SLDN remember that this holiday is more than a celebration of summer and fireworks, but also a tribute to the brave men and women - straight and LGBT alike - who fight to keep America free.

We can't help but think of former Army Sergeant and SLDN staffer Darren Manzella, who was forced out of the military under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Darren's courage can be seen both in his service to our country and in his appearance on CBS's "60 Minutes" in 2007. During this interview, he came out publicly and told his story of not only serving as a decorated combat medic in Iraq, but also of serving as an openly gay soldier. His statement ultimately lead to his discharge in June 2008. That same month Darren came to work for SLDN, and we finally had the pleasure of working with him. Each time he shared his story of courage with a new group, we could see the impact his words had in changing minds and bringing supporters on board.

Though Darren left SLDN last month to spend the summer with his family in New York while pursuing opportunities in pharmaceutical sales, his story continues to have an impact. The staff here remembers his dedication both to the military and to the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," especially during this holiday celebrating freedom and service.

Take Away from LGBT White House Reception

2009-06-30T22:27:09-05:00

June 29 in the East Room of the White House was the first time we heard the President address DADT in such detail. That was a good and encouraging thing. One of our clients, Lt. Col. Fehrenbach, embraced what he heard the President say. "I explained [to the President] that I'm being thrown out as we speak, and that there was a sense of urgency for me," Fehrenbach told the New York Times. "He looked me in the eye and he said, ‘We're going to get this done.'"

Words can be helpful, but now gay and lesbian service members are looking for some concrete action, and today we heard more encouraging news from DOD Secretary Gates who said that he talked with the President last week about "how to achieve his objective, which is changing the policy." The President could also publicly endorse HR 1283 (Military Readiness Enhancement Act) or present his own repeal legislation to Congress. Lawmakers are waiting for his proposal for how and when to get rid of DADT.

A Huge Success

2009-06-29T14:52:04-05:00

After serving four years in the Navy and seeing the negative impact "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" had not only on my own career, but on that of many of my friends, I can no longer sit back and watch as more and more service members are kicked out unjustly.

So I volunteered at the SLDN booth for the first time at Denver Pride on June 28. We received the most amazing response from the Pride-goers. In fact, I have never seen so many people lined up to sign a petition before! The Denver community really stepped up, and before my 4-hour shift ended, we had every petition signed, and had to send someone to get copies made at a nearby Kinko's! I've never felt more pride than knowing what a difference my time at the booth made in the quest for equal rights.

Thank you SLDN for giving me and the amazing community of Denver the opportunity to stand up for the many gays, lesbians, and bisexuals currently serving in the military who cannot stand up for themselves on this issue.

José M. Zunigas Reaction to March on White House

2009-06-29T04:43:24-05:00

I was proud to join hundreds of LGBT Americans on June 27 in exercising our right to demand that our elected leaders take action to right a wrong perpetrated against service members whose service to our country is no less honorable or patriotic than our straight brothers and sisters at arms. The March on the White House was for me a unifying event, not just because those of us who marched are adamant in our desire for DADT to be repealed, but because as we joined by bystanders, who cheered or gave us a thumbs up - they, too, know DADT must end. Hopefully our demands were heard by President Obama, under whose watch and since Inauguration Day, 265 Americans have been discharged. Repealing DADT cannot be delayed for political expedience. Throughout his presidential campaign, Candidate Obama inspired us to hope that the politics of hatred, bigotry, and discrimination would no longer prevail. We demand a politics of tolerance, respect for our fellow man and woman (irrespective of sexual orientation), and nondiscrimination under which DADT is morally unacceptable.

Service Members Speak Out

2009-06-26T17:50:59-05:00

Active-duty gay and lesbian service members from around the globe wrote notes of support for SLDN's March on the White House this Saturday. These brave patriots remind us why we do what we do.

• "Thank you everyone who is marching on Saturday. I would be there too, but I am currently deployed overseas. My partner of 4 years remains at home stateside, both of us silenced from DADT. If you're thinking about going, please do! Every person counts!"

• "Thank you for marching... Please continue to be tough on the President! Thank you for fighting for us!!"

• "I'm also one of many people currently deployed. I love my country and I am proud to come to places like Iraq and help protect my family and my country which I love so much. ...I wish now more than ever that I could be in DC to march and fight this war as well."

• "If the President doesn't take care of the situation, I'll be leaving the military as well and I'm currently on my second enlistment. Since that's what my partner and I agreed on."

SLDN Protest Spotlights DADT at DNC Event

2009-06-26T16:02:05-05:00

On June 25, SLDN staff and supporters protested outside the Democratic National Committee (DNC) LGBT fundraiser at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington, D.C., to send a clear message that President Obama and Vice President Biden must end their silence on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal. SLDN distributed buttons and held signs with the number 265, which represents the number of service members discharged under DADT since President Obama was sworn in Jan. 20.

We will continue to urge the President and Congress to act with a sense of urgency for repeal at our March on the White House at 2 p.m. Saturday in Farragut Square (17th & K St. NW).

Service Members, Vets, and Families Marching for Justice

2009-06-25T18:22:42-05:00

By Aubrey Sarvis
Huffington Post
June 25, 2009

The uproar over President Obama's failure to deliver on any of his campaign promises regarding LGBT issues -- DADT ("Don't Ask, Don't Tell"), ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act), DOMA (the misnamed Defense of Marriage Act) -- is turning into a din that's got to be penetrating even the thick walls of the White House. It's a racket that won't stop until our nation's leader, the President of the United States, acts.

As I write, a racket about DADT is going on up on Capitol Hill. A clip of the colloquy is posted on YouTube. Freshman Congressman Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.), the new House lead on H.R. 1283 to repeal DADT, are engaging House Chairman of the Armed Services Committee Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) on when the House will take up repeal legislation. Mr. Polis wants a hearing this summer. Mr. Murphy does too, and both want full repeal. Chairman Skelton says not so fast but he did agree to hearings this summer. The night before, in the House Rules Committee, Mr. Polis had sought Chairman Skelton's support on an amendment to the Defense Department bill to stop DADT investigations while Congress considers full repeal. The Speaker, who controls the House Rules Committee as well as the debate that take place on the floor, is watching, listening. And no doubt the White House is too.

That's why this Saturday, the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, we are acting. Service members, veterans, their families, loved ones and supporters will be marching to the White House at 2 p.m. to demand action against the DADT law passed by Congress in 1993 that makes gays and lesbians second-class citizens in the military of their own country. The 265 men and women leading the march represent the astonishing number of service members discharged under DADT--because they are who they are--since President Obama took office five months ago and the new Congress was sworn in.

More than half the population of the United States was not yet born at the time of the Stonewall Riots, so maybe a little history is in order. On the night of June 27, 1969, New York City police conducted one of their routine raids on a popular gay bar near Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village known as the Stonewall Inn, arresting 13 and resulting in what the New York Times described as a "melee." It was the third raid on a gay bar in two weeks but this one was different. This time the 200 patrons forced out of the bar fought back, and they were soon joined by 200 more and then more and thus began four nights of rioting now known as the Stonewall Riots. The gay liberation movement was off and running, but it's been a forty-year marathon to get from there to where we are today. That is a very long run, and the race is by no means over.

The Stonewall Riots were about equality, dignity, and fairness then, and we are marching for the same treatment now. The protests were about ending secrecy and subterfuge then, and that's what we are about today. The fight in 1969 was about ending the indignities of second-class citizenship; that is our fight today.

No one could reasonably deny that progress has been made but much more remains to be done. In 1969, gays and lesbians could not enter the military. If you checked the box on your paper work that said "homosexual tendencies?" you were toast. Since the 1993 DADT law went into effect, they no longer ask that question when you enter the service. But once in, if you tell or if someone else tells, then your services are not wanted, just as they weren't wanted in 1969 at the height of the Vietnam War, when there was a draft that was difficult to avoid unless you could get the repeated deferments that kept some out of harm's way so they could send others to fight another day. (Others, including my own brother, went the National Guard route, which was almost as good as a deferment.)

The 65,000 gays and lesbians on active duty now still have to serve in the closet where rumors and innuendos can get them in trouble. While a majority of the DADT discharges are usually honorable, on the service member's DD214, an important piece of paper that most employers ask to see, the word HOMOSEXUAL is still written. It becomes the service member's scarlet letter, like the scarlet letter A Hester Prynne bore on her chest in the 17th-Century Massachusetts Colony. It should be noted that the scarlet letter intended to shame and humiliate her, she turned into an emblem of pride.

The protests against these shameful, archaic rules are growing louder by the day among progressives of all stripes, gay and straight. Polls show a vast majority of the American people favor repeal. Just this week Rachel Maddow returned to the case of Lieutenant Colonel Victor Fehrenbach on her MSNBC television show. Newspapers across the country, from the New York Times and the Washington Post to the Los Angeles Times have called for Presidential and Congressional action on DADT as have commentators and bloggers too numerous to mention.

Last week Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Senator Reid said in a statement: "We would welcome a legislative proposal from the White House on repeal so as to provide clear guidance on what the president would like to see and when. With presidential leadership and direction, I believe we can find the time to get repeal done in this Congress. We need all the troops we can get right now."

On Monday Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-Fla.) and 76 other House members sent a letter to the President urging him to consider suspending DADT investigations--but contrary to some reports, not a word about a "Stop/loss order--and "to exercise the maximum discretion legally possible in administering 'don't ask, don't tell' until Congress repeals the law." The White House replied with its standard "President Obama remains committed . . . ."

We're always happy to hear that he's committed, even though he's said that many times before--but why doesn't he do something? Why doesn't he end his silence on DADT? Nowadays the self-described "fierce advocate" of gay rights appears to be fighting more fiercely to forget those promises he made during the electoral campaign than to act on them. But service members and their supporters won't let him forget. And we won't let Congress off the hook, either.

Senator Reid has spoken, but we need to hear more from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Whip Steny Hoyer. Will these Congressional leaders support the growing calls to stop the DADT investigations, to stop these disgraceful discharges? Will they support Congressional defunding of those DADT investigations? SLDN has provided the language to Congress and will gladly share it with the White House today. Our service members need action now.

For all these reasons we're marching to the White House Saturday afternoon. A former community organizer, the President understands that very well.

Report from California

2009-06-24T14:55:58-05:00

Strong voices for equality rang out in the California State Legislature on June 23. Iraq veteran Joseph Rocha and SLDN's own Commander Zoe Dunning (USN Ret.) delivered powerful personal testimony about the harmful impact of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) law, focusing on its inherent injustice, the disproportionate impact on women, and the cost to American taxpayers.

Joseph discussed the conclusion by the US Navy that he was improperly hazed and abused by homophobic sailors. (He was forced to kneel before canine units and say he was "not worthy" because he was perceived to be gay.) Zoe shared her experience as the only person-ever -- to have beaten the DADT discharge process. While serving for 14 years as openly lesbian in the US Navy, Zoe received two promotions and several awards and commendations.

State Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) pointed out how California is home to 137,000 gay and lesbian veterans - the most of any state in the nation. And that the US lags behind 27 other countries whose militaries have integrated LGBT people into their armed forces with no adverse effect on military readiness, morale, good order or unit cohesion.

The testimony of Sen. Kehoe, Joseph and Zoe persuaded the California Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to pass SJR 9 (4-1), which calls on Congress and President Obama to enact HR 1283 (Military Readiness Enhancement Act). The MREA repeals DADT and replaces it with a non-discrimination policy. Authored by Equality California, SJR 9 is a clarion call for a stronger military and a more secure America through full inclusion and sound policy. California has the largest congressional delegation, the most electoral votes, and the largest population in the United States. The message from California is clear: Separate is not equal.

There is no excuse for delay. The time to repeal the inane law is now. California is moving the cause of equality forward. What are lawmakers in Washington doing?

Brotherly Love for SLDN

2009-06-24T14:43:27-05:00

This year's Philly Pride festival was the largest in 10 years and it showed. The crowds came in droves and all were more than happy to put their name on the line for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". For the better part of a 7 hour day, we were met with overwhelming support.

Many would express their disgust with the policy. Some even began to describe personal stories of family members impacted. There were also a surprising number of active duty members who proudly signed. Veterans for Peace made an appearance and, after signing, shook the hands of all involved. One Veteran spoke of his pride for our efforts and described his own 30 year career as a Navy physician living under a much harsher policy. Even a young ROTC member walked up to me and asked how he could become involved in the fight. I handed him a pad and an hour later he returned with every sheet signed. As a flight mechanic with the Coast Guard discharged under the policy after 10 years of service, I was touched by the vast support from the City of Brotherly Love.

I also have to salute all the volunteers who gave their time for such a great cause, especially a prior coworker of mine who is a straight, active duty ally experiencing Pride for the first time. He was blown away by the reality of the gay community and already offered his services for future endeavors. He is a model servicemember that all others questioning their stance in this fight should take notice of. I have been to many Unity events with SLDN and met many wonderful people. However, this is by far the most amazing experience I've ever encountered. I look forward to many other opportunities with SLDN.

Lt. Col. Fehrenbach: A Role Model for Military Service

2009-06-24T14:12:28-05:00

I am profoundly grateful for the courage and professionalism of Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach. He epitomizes the character and commitment we expect from America's military leaders, and gives living and persuasive testimony to the injustice and harm of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." He is a role model, not only for gay and lesbian troops, but for all who hold sacred the core values of integrity, service and excellence. His discharge will not strengthen our military, but will embolden those who would advance a culture of supremacy and bigotry. This highly decorated career officer should be honored for his patriotism, valued for his proven skills and unlimited potential, and retained as a mission essential and combat ready aviator. Lt. Col. Fehrenbach does his country proud!

San Diego Stands up for the Freedom to Serve

2009-06-23T22:57:22-05:00

The San Diego City Council voted Tuesday to support equality in the U.S. Armed Forces by unanimously approving a resolution that supports a federal bill (HR 1283) to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. The personal testimonies given on the side of supporting the resolution far outnumbered those that opposed it. SLDN testimony was led by COL Stewart Bornhoft, USA (Ret), West Point Graduate, and member of SLDN's Military Advisory Council (MAC). He gave compelling testimony as to why the San Diego City Council should take up a resolution on a federal issue. He explained how the Department of Defense is the only department in the federal government where discrimination is encoded in law and how this impacts a military city such as San Diego. I also shared how my 11-year career as an active duty Naval officer was impacted by the DADT law, and why I made the decision to separate because of the discrimination imposed on me under DADT. Both COL Bornhoft and I cited the huge cost and investment to train service members who are making invaluable contributions, only to be unjustly forced out of service when we are needed most.

Our testimony was joined by that of CAPT Eric McDonald, USN (Ret), Ben Gomez representing American Veterans for Equal Rights (AMVER), Evelyn Thomas, and Elizabeth Quillian. CAPT McDonald spoke of the irony of how those who are asked to protect freedom are also denied these freedoms and not able to access essential support services for service members and loved ones that they themselves are developing and providing, because they happen to be gay. Ben powerfully spoke about the severe emotional impact the DADT law had on him as he was forced to process discharges of other service members under DADT. Some of those same service members being discharged were also even driven to commit suicide. The numbers of those requesting to speak in favor of passing the resolution was so great that the vote was in jeopardy of being delayed until the afternoon session. In order to see the vote happen, more than several individuals waived their right to speak.

Council members Todd Gloria and Carl DeMaio, both openly gay, spoke powerfully about why the Council should vote on an issue such as this and why they should vote in favor of repealing DADT and even showed a compelling and emotional video on how relationships and individuals in and out of the military are adversely affected by DADT. DeMaio stated that the resolution was completely in sync with the long tradition of San Diego supporting service members. Gloria, who sponsored the resolution, spoke about the importance of taking up this issue as it has an impact on their constituents that is deep and unjust. He also pointed out how 13,000 service members have been unjustly discharged simply because of who they are. Michael Magee, SLDN board member, worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure this resolution made it through the Council process and was approved.

This unanimous vote show that leaders of a city with such a large military presence understand that DADT is a discriminatory policy that adversely affects their constituents, along with negatively impacting the readiness of the military. This sends a clear message that our national leaders need to take immediate action to reverse it.

Shalikashvili: Climate Has Changed Dramatically Since 1993

2009-06-19T19:34:25-05:00

Too often political debates, especially on cable TV and in some corners of the blogosphere, are fact free, driven almost exclusively by emotion and bias. This is no way to have an informed, serious discussion about the issues - and certainly is no way for our leaders in Washington, Democrat or Republican, to make policy. Especially on visceral, highly charged issues that impact the lives of LGBT Americans.

This is effectively the argument former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs under President Clinton, General John Shalikashvili, makes in today's Washington Post. The good General so rightly notes, "In the same way that military leaders take into account research about what works and what doesn't when contemplating a new strategy or doctrine, it will be important for the conversation about gays and lesbians in the military to be informed by data, not speculation or emotion. That people on all sides of the issue feel strongly about it is more reason, not less, to let the evidence do the talking." All the evidence shows openly gay people serving in the U.S. armed forces has no impact on unit cohesion, morale, and good order.

And while we're talking about evidence-based arguments, reams of polling data - both of younger military personnel, military families, and the American public - conclusively show DADT is not a divisive or controversial issue. The hot potato that DADT once was in the early 1990s has been soaking in cold water for more than a decade. Policymakers in Washington should recall what President Truman once said, "We must have strong minds, ready to accept facts as they are."

Sen. Majority Leader Calls on Obama to Send Legislative Proposal to Capitol Hill

2009-06-16T22:43:21-05:00

As Kerry Eleveld reports this afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) would "welcome a legislative proposal from the White House on repeal so as to provide clear guidance on what the President would like to see and when. With presidential leadership and direction, I believe we can find the time to get repeal done in this Congress. We need all the troops we can get right now."

Eleveld notes these are "the first intimations from Congressional leadership on a time frame for accomplishing repeal."

SLDN applauds Sen. Reid's call for presidential action. Congress defers to the President on matters of national defense. It is time for the Obama Administration to either endorse HR 1283 or submit legislation to lift the ban and establish a nondiscrimination policy.

U.S. Conference of Mayors Urges Action on DADT

2009-06-16T18:01:18-05:00

The U.S. Conference of Mayors passed a resolution Monday calling for full equality of LGBT Americans, including the ability for gays and lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. military. America's mayors endorsed legislation in the U.S. Congress (The Military Readiness Enhancement Act) that repeals "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and replaces it with a policy of nondiscrimination. This is yet another sign the American people, from coast to coast, liberal and conservative, are ready for repeal.

Flag Day: Remembering Our Heritage, Renewing Our Commitment

2009-06-14T17:34:11-05:00

On Sunday President Obama issued the customary proclamation of designating June 14 as Flag Day, ordering all federal buildings to display Old Glory this week and encouraging Americans to fly the flag at their homes. The President is asking Americans to remember their national heritage from now until Independence Day.

This is also a time to remember the sacrifices of all our brave men and women in uniform, including those who are forced to serve in silence every day under DADT. When we recite the Pledge of Allegiance and look upon the Stars & Stripes this week, let us remember the 65,000 gay and lesbian patriots who serve with honor and distinction every day.

It is past time our leaders recognize ALL service members who defend the flag we honor this week - by repealing DADT and ensuring the freedom to serve.

“Colbert Nation” Takes on DADT

2009-06-11T21:36:52-05:00

On Tuesday's "Formidable Opponent" segment of "Colbert Nation from Iraq," Stephen Colbert illustrated the absurdity of DADT. The argument that openly gay service members somehow undermine unit cohesion and military readiness are exposed as the empty myths that they are, to the applause of service members in Iraq.

NYT Editorial

2009-06-10T22:10:41-05:00

Finally, the New York Times editorial board weighed in on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." We agree with the paper's analysis of the legal ramifications of Monday's Supreme Court decision: "not much of a legal setback." We also think the White House should consider all options currently on the table, including the "stop loss" proposal.

Another option open to President Obama is to turn his campaign rhetoric-he's all for overturning the law-into writing, meaning draft a bill outlining how he would repeal DADT and enact a nondiscrimination policy. Presidents do this all the time. They send up their own legislative proposals to Capitol Hill for consideration and to serve as a guide.

At the end of the day, this discriminatory law will only be undone by Congress. But right now, it is up to the President to send a clear message to lawmakers that he wants this done and done the right way. As commander in chief, his view on DADT carries great weight with members of Congress, who are waiting for him to show his hand. The 65,000 gay and lesbian service members currently in the military are waiting too.

Where the People Lead, the Leaders Will Follow

2009-06-09T10:56:16-05:00

By Aubrey Sarvis

Huffington Post

June 8, 2009

Gallup brings good news. Across the political spectrum a growing majority of Americans favor allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the military as who they are, not as who they have to pretend to be to keep their jobs. In other words, as Lymari Morales writes for Gallup, a majority of Americans "now favor what essentially equates to repealing the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy."

The poll was conducted May 7-10 and released Friday. The results show that 69 percent now favor open service as opposed to 63 percent in an earlier poll conducted Nov. 19-24, 2004. The biggest increase in support came from conservatives (up twelve points to 58 percent), weekly churchgoers (up eleven points to 60 percent), and Republicans (up six points to 58 percent). So much for the conventional wisdom. One by one the stereotypes held by those on both sides of this issue are falling. Call it the domino effect. But whatever you call it, the "issue" is rapidly becoming a non-issue.

Yes, I know the battle is not yet over. We have to fight harder than ever now that we're on the verge of slaying the dragon of gay discrimination in the military. Some dragons, like some cats, have nine lives. Elaine Donnelly and her noisy ideologues of the right will always be with us--like death and taxes. Among a few of our political and military leaders the prospect of lesbians and gays serving openly in the military still brings on what the Victorians would call "nerves" (and what Freud would call "hysteria"). Nonetheless, slowly and often tentatively our leaders are catching up with where the American people have been for some years now. In a bit of role reversal, where the people lead, the leaders will follow. A few of them are seriously lagging, and probably never will catch up.

But some of them are ahead of the curve. That's where I put President Obama. True, he's not yet Moses ready to part the Red Sea and lead us to the Promised Land. He's moving in quiet increments toward his goal, which I firmly believe is to see "don't ask, don't tell" repealed. However. we're still anxious because we need specifics. We need to know how he intends to do it.

We certainly welcome the latest and most encouraging example of the president's thinking: the strategic, well thought out, and politically astute appointment of the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, John M. McHugh (R-NY), as Secretary of the Army. He is steeped in the ways of the Pentagon. He has been a friend to the Pentagon, to privates as well as generals, and over the years has worked with a parade of Joint Chiefs. He understands how they think and what they need, and how they get it. He also understands why they don't always get what they want (or want what they get).

Representative McHugh voted for "don't ask, don't tell" in 1993 but like a lot of other people reflected in the Gallup poll he has evolved over the years. When the Advocate's Kerry Eleveld asked White House press secretary Robert Gibbs about it last week, Gibbs replied, "it's obvious from . . . statements that Congressman McHugh has made that he and the President are in agreement on changing a policy they both don't think is working for this country right now."

Many other military and civilian leaders have come to the same conclusion. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs John Shalikashvili, retired Admirals Charles R. Larson, twice superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, and Jamie Barnett; former Senators Bob Kerrey, Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, and Alan Simpson--all now oppose the law. They are only mirroring the thinking of most Americans on the subject.

The urgency for Congress and the President to act on repealing "don't ask, don't tell" was underscored today when the Supreme Court refused to accept a petition from one of the plaintiffs in the Cook v. Gates case challenging the constitutionality of the DADT law. That case was originally brought by SLDN lawyers and pro bono attorneys at the law firm of WilmerHale on behalf of twelve service members who were discharged under DADT, and all of whom proudly stated they would be willing to be reinstated and serve again if the law were invalidated. The Cook plaintiffs lost in the trial court and in the First Circuit and today's action effectively means that these twelve plaintiffs have exhausted all of their legal remedies.

They still want to serve, but only Congress and the President can make that possible.

Meghan McCain Twitters on DADT

2009-06-02T15:24:30-05:00

This morning Meghan McCain twittered about the threat DADT poses to the safety of our men and women overseas:

"Does anyone realize when an Arabic translator that happens to be gay is thrown out of the military that is one less person keeping my brother safe overseas? Does anyone think about that?!?"

Right on! It is long past time for the President and Congress to not only think about DADT repeal, but to actually do something about it. Where is the Administration's plan? Where is the timeline? What is this delay all about? And when will Obama's campaign promises to lift the ban be translated into Presidential leadership and action?

Public is on Fehrenbach’s Side

2009-05-29T14:13:50-05:00

Yet another poll, this time from Gallup, was released this week showing massive public support (69 percent) for allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly. (It is always worth remembering that poll numbers rarely look this good for any public policy issue.) Washington should listen to the wisdom of the American people, who effectively think that Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach -- the latest service member to receive discharge paperwork -- should be able to serve openly. He has only been an asset to his unit and to this country, winning eight air medals, including one for Heroism. It's not easy to find such an accomplished F-15E aviator, which the government has spent $25 milllion training.

For Gays in the Military, Obama’s Good Intentions Not Enough

2009-05-25T05:31:11-05:00

By Aubrey Sarvis
Huffington Post
May 24, 2009

Sunday morning on ABC's This Week, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told George Stephanopoulos that they'd been talking about "don't ask, don't tell" in the Pentagon. Admiral Mullen said, "The President has made his strategic intent very clear. . . . I've had discussions with the Joint Chiefs about this. I've done certainly a lot of internal, immediate staff discussions about what the issues would be and . . . ."

Sounds like a plan? No, it doesn't, and without a strong push from the White House, it won't be. Nonetheless, it does show considerable progress from last Tuesday when the Pentagon's press secretary Geoff Morrell (a deputy assistant secretary of defense and Secretary Gates's personal spokesman as well as another holdover from the Bush Administration) was still spouting the old message at Tuesday's Pentagon briefing: "no internal planning efforts underway in anticipation of a change in that [DADT] law," and so on. Business as usual. As to his attitude, here's the video. You can judge for yourself. (The DADT discussion begins about eight minutes in.)

The White House changed his mind, however, and Morrell, who said Secretary Gates believed his Tuesday comments had been "mischaracterized," asked him to release a "statement of clarification," something like what Catholics might call an act of contrition. Fox News reported that Morrell gave it to a few Pentagon reporters Thursday night and to the rest of the world Friday morning.

At the White House briefing the day before (around the time Morrell first released his "clarification"), in response to a question by Ana Marie Cox, Obama's press secretary Robert Gibbs said he believed "the Pentagon did correct that statement on efforts regarding . . . 'don't ask, don't tell.'" Well, if they hadn't done it before, they got right on the case and it was done that night.

And Chairman Mullen did make it clear on This Week that he knew what the President wanted to accomplish with respect to repealing DADT. "The President has made his strategic intent very clear," he said. "That it's his intent at some point in time to ask Congress to change the law."

"At some point in time . . . " Now what do you suppose that means? Time is a pretty nebulous notion, and there are an infinite number of points in it. I'd like to know what particular point in time Admiral Mullen and the other deciders at the Pentagon have in mind. This month? This year? Next year? This term? Next term? Somehow, Admiral Mullen didn't convey a sense of urgency to it.

Stephanopoulos reminded him that one of his predecessors, General John Shalikashvili, who was chairman in the early '90s, now says he believes "if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces. Our military has been stretched thin by our deployments in the Middle East, and we must welcome the service of any American who is willing and able to do the job."

George asked, "Is he right?"

"He's certainly entitled to his own personal opinion," Admiral Mullen replied, quickly adding "And certainly, I have the greatest respect for him." Hardly a ringing endorsement. In the next sentence he noted, "There are also lots of retired generals and admirals on the other side." I can see Elaine Donnelly now, exchanging high fives for the gratuitous plug with her crew of aging flag officers that Admiral Mullen referred to.

If you review Admiral Mullen's brief, it sounds like he learned a lesson from his immediate boss, Secretary Gates, who famously said, "Let's kick that one down the road a little bit." It also sounds like Admiral Mullen took a leaf from Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mahatma Gandhi. Passive resistance. That seems a bit odd coming from a Bush appointee who would like to be reappointed to another term as Chairman of the JCS when his term expires in October.

I'm all for a "measured, deliberate" path, as Admiral Mullen put it, but at some point the White House has to have a plan to get repeal through this Congress. We have to get beyond mere intent. "Intent" is not a plan and it isn't action and so far President Obama hasn't asked Congress to change the law. The President sent his Defense Department budget up to Congress a couple weeks ago and there was no repeal language in it. That budget will be working its way through Congress over the next several months. There's still time to fix it.

What we don't need is yet another study or national commission to look at repeal. We all know those commissions involve delay and more delay and "kicking it down the road" more that a little bit. I say, put together a working group within 30 days. Have them focus on implementing open service and charge them to report back to the President within 90 days with a detailed plan and a timeline and how to get it done in this Congress.

Good intentions and warm handwritten notes from the President will not carry the day. They certainly did not save the career of Lieutenant Sandy Tsao who was scheduled for discharge last week. The Arabic speaking Lieutenant Dan Choi is now at risk of being discharged. Sign his petition. Urge Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley to allow Lieutenant Colonel Victor Fehrenbach to keep flying. Sign the petition here. Hundreds more service members will be discharged over the next few months unless Congress and the President, and, yes, the Pentagon act.

Good intentions are no substitute for the change our service members are counting on, especially those who might like to be relieved from a third or fourth or fifth tour in Iraq or Afghanistan. They really don't care much if the person who relieves them is gay. Would you?

Relax. Recreate. Remember. Recommit.

2009-05-24T11:00:08-05:00

Memorial Day weekend has become the traditional summer kick-off. For most of us the long weekend is a time to gather together for barbeques, beach trips, and ballgames. These leisurely pursuits often ignore the fading sounds of Taps, the moment of silence, and the toasts to "Absent Friends" that reflect the true meaning of the day. Yet both solemnity and celebration are fitting tributes to the memories of those patriots who, for over two centuries, have paid the ultimate price in the defense of our way of life and values. We should celebrate their lives and the fact that the United States has been blessed with men and women who are willing to guard a post or stand the watch so that the rest of us can enjoy our lives in peace and tranquility. We should take a moment in the middle of our fun to remember them and say, "Thank you."

For those of us who have served, particularly those of us who served in wartime, Memorial Day will always be bittersweet. For us, when we see names, engraved on polished marble on monuments from the Mall to the town square in our little hamlets, we do not see cold, historical artifacts. We do not see tributes to martial glory. We do not see liberal or conservative, black or white, Christian or Jew, straight or gay. We see only the faces of our shipmates, hear the laughter of our classmates, listen to the shared fears, hopes and dreams of our buddies, and once again feel the terrible, painful loss of our brothers and sisters.

In "Saving Private Ryan," as the fictional Captain Miller lies dying, he tells Private Ryan to "Earn this," meaning to go on to live a life worthy of the sacrifice made on his behalf. We too are challenged to "Earn this." But unlike the movie, our actions must honor the real sacrifices made by those whom we remember on this holiday. Memorial Day provides for a renewal of the American spirit in all of us. We should make a renewed commitment to making the more perfect union envisioned by our Founders a reality. We must ensure that we take actions worthy of those who gave their lives for us, defending our great nation and its ideals. The belief in a land where everyone truly is equal, where we all enjoy the fruits of liberty, and each of us are treated with the dignity and respect due to all Americans, was worth dying for. For us who remain, it is also a dream worth fighting for.

One way to take action is to get involved in the fight to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Why? Because this law, mandating discrimination against lesbian, gay and bisexual patriots, harms our national security and promotes bigotry over liberty, freedom, equality and shared sacrifice, which are the true American values. This law corrodes the Core Values of our Armed Forces, denigrates the service of 1 million LGBT veterans, and devalues the service of the 65,000 who currently serve in silence, often in harm's way at the tip of the spear. And it mocks the sacrifice of the countless LGBT Americans who died in the defense of a country that they loved, fighting for rights often denied to them at home. Getting rid of such a law will advance liberty, equality and freedom; embrace all who would defend these ideals, treating each with the respect and dignity they deserve, and is worthy of our fallen heroes' sacrifice.

Ripple Effect of DADT

2009-05-23T18:34:38-05:00

I am a proud daughter of a lesbian mother. I also am a proud daughter of a military mother. I'm writing this with the hope that one day people may fully understand that the harmful impact of DADT goes beyond the patriots who are forced to serve in silence. It hurts their families as well.

Following my mother coming out to my father and me, we quickly learned that we could no longer have honest conversations about our family. I learned all too early that to do so could jeopardize everything we had. I could lose my education, health care and the roof over our heads. What 11-year-old should have to be burdened with these anxieties? This, however, was my reality - and remains the reality for children of LGBT service members.

My mother retired after 25 years of dedication and duty. She is also a veteran of two wars. If you were to ask her whether she would serve and risk everything all over again, her answer would be "Yes."

I believe firmly that DADT must be repealed - not only because of the closet my mom had to live in but because of the closeted life my dad and I were forced to live as well. No one should have to live a double life as my family did. No child should have to lie about their family just to ensure they have a roof over their head. Change will come soon. There will be no better day than when patriots and their families are no longer forced to live in secret.

Until this day comes, let us honor the bravery of those who are serving currently and those who have served before them in defense of a country which still doesn't fully recognize them. On this Memorial Day I ask that we take a moment to acknowledge their service and sacrifice. In the meantime change will come - DADT will be repealed.

Never Forgotten

2009-05-22T15:38:39-05:00

As an American I have enormous gratitude for the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. As an Iraq war veteran, I remember the incredible patriots my unit lost while we served in Baghdad.

On the fourth day of my deployment, we received word of an ambush on one of our patrol units. As soldiers from my battalion frantically loaded more ammunition onto an armored supply truck, I was grabbed by my supervisor to accompany him to the base hospital. Running across my base, I could not have prepared for what I was about to see. The hospital floor showed more blood than tile and every stretcher was occupied by a wounded soldier. As a trauma specialist I did everything I could to provide assistance in the hospital. We successfully treated and evacuated many of the young men, but the next morning I learned that two comrades who I had known for nearly three years did not survive that horrific night. Filled with both anger and fear, I had to say goodbye to my friend Corporal Forrest Jostes and Specialist Casey Sheehan.

Throughout that deployment, my second deployment and subsequent deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world we have lost many comrades, many friends, and many patriots. This Memorial Day weekend, please remember and honor ALL who have served their country and paid the ultimate price. Now is a time to stand united and proud of our nation and the remarkable men and women who have defended it. Now is a time to allow the opportunity for ALL to serve.

On that fateful night in the hospital, not once was there an issue of race, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. You're a soldier 24/7 and you get the job done. It is that simple. It is time to lift the ban on gays and lesbians in the military.

Mr. Gibbs Crib Sheet

2009-05-21T21:44:53-05:00

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked Thursday if there is pending legislation in Congress regarding "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." His answer: "I don't know what's been introduced in Congress." The correct answer is that a bill was introduced in the House back in March and had almost 150 cosponsors. For an overview of DADT, Mr. Gibbs, a fact sheet is here.