In my own words...

On November 18, 2007, the Boston Globe carried an above the fold front-page article dedicated to the life and death of Ciara Durkin, an Army staff specialist. Durkin, a Massachusetts National Guard soldier from Quincy, MA, was found with a single bullet in her head lying on a secure military base in Afghanistan. While there is evidence that Durkin’s death was not accidental or self-inflicted, it remains shrouded in mystery.

In chronicling the possible reasons for her death, the article stated the following:

“Those close to her do not believe that Durkin was targeted because of her sexual orientation. Durkin had talked with her friends, before she enlisted, about the Army's ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell’ policy, which allows gays and lesbians to serve as long as they do not disclose their sexual orientation or act upon it.”

Those two statements jumped off the page at me. First, it is striking that a soldier’s sexual orientation will make her a target for harassment and even murder. Unfortunately, it is not unprecedented. At least two soldiers’ deaths have been definitively linked to their sexual orientation. Private First Class Barry Winchell and Seaman Allen Schindler were both killed by fellow service members because they were perceived to be gay. And despite the DoDs anti-harassment policy, other service members continually report being targeted because of their sexual orientation, some revealing that they fear for their safety.

Second, I was struck by how the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell statute was presented, not as a prohibition on service, but as a statute that “allows” gays and lesbians to serve “as long as they do not disclose their sexual orientation or act upon it.” Such a description ignores the immense difficulties faced by gay, lesbian, and bi-sexual service members. And it also belies the complexities of the issue. The implementation of the statute is not as benign as the description suggests; nor is it so straightforward. Under DOD Directive 1332, “homosexual conduct” includes a statement by a service member “that demonstrates a propensity to engage in homosexual acts.” It is a frighteningly vague definition of “conduct.” Moreover, it does not matter to whom the statement was made or the context in which it was made. Service members risk discharge if they make such a statement to a member of the clergy, to their doctor, or on the Internet. The definition encompasses much more than the simple statement “I’m gay” uttered to a fellow soldier or commanding officer.

Durkin represents just one of the thousands of gay, lesbian, and bi-sexual service members who have served or are serving in silence. While her death does not appear to be linked to her sexual orientation, it is unsettling that it was even necessary to consider it as a possibility. The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is not just about ending the ban against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals serving openly. It is also about ending an era of intolerance. When Congress passed 10 U.S.C. § 654, it sanctioned discrimination and the ignorance and hatred that accompanies it.

-SLDN Board Member Jackie Gardinia, Associate Professor of Law, Vermont Law School

Congresswoman Tauscher: End This 'Counter-Productive' Law

Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), the lead sponsor of The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which would repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and allow lesbian and gay Americans to serve openly, is stepping up her calls for repeal.

In a statement released exclusively to SLDN on the 14th anniversary of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," Tauscher points to the importance of opening our armed forces to qualified gay Americans who want to serve.

"In the past 14 years, 12,000 servicemen and women have been discharged under the 'Don’t Ask Don’t Tell' policy," Tauscher says. "But it’s not just those troops who suffer – it’s our security. At a time when the overall readiness of our military is being stretched, two otherwise qualified servicemen and women are being barred every day from providing services we need. We need a boost in readiness so that we are prepared to face future conflicts wherever they may arise. A responsible and moral way to jumpstart this process is by passing the Military Readiness Enhancement Act that would repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and end the counter-productive practice of discharging qualified servicemen and women from our military."

SLDN is proud to work alongside Congresswoman Tauscher as she pushes Congress to lift the ban.

If your Representative is not yet a co-sponsor of The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, click here to urge them to sign on.

- Steve Ralls

Dear Congress,

This morning, a group of 28 retired Generals and Admirals released a letter calling on Congress to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The letter, which marks the largest single group of officers to ever call for repeal at once, comes on the 14th anniversary of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Throughout this weekend, a groundbreaking exhibit on the National Mall will mark the anniversary with 12,000 flags representing the 12,000 men and women who have been dismissed under this law.

Now, on this most unhappy anniversary, 28 more military leaders have said 'enough is enough.' We welcome them to the campaign to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and are proud to share their letter with you:

We respectfully urge Congress to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Those of us signing this letter have dedicated our lives to defending the rights of our citizens to believe whatever they wish. As General Colin Powell, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs said when the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was enacted, it is not the place of the military or those in senior leadership to make moral judgments.

Scholarly data show that there are approximately one million gay and lesbian veterans in the United States today, as well as 65,000 gays and lesbians currently serving in our armed forces. They have served our nation honorably.

We support the recent comments of another former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General John Shalikashvili, who has concluded that repealing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy would not harm, and would indeed help, our armed forces. As is the case in Britain, Israel, and other nations which allow gays and lesbians to serve openly, our service members are professionals who are able to work together effectively despite differences in race, gender, religion, and sexuality. Such collaboration reflects the strength and the best traditions of our democracy.

Lieutenant General Jerry Hilmes; Branch: Army
Vice Admiral Harold Koenig; Branch: Navy; Field: Medical
Vice Admiral James Zimble, Midlothian, VA; Branch: Navy; Field: Medical
Major General Leslie Burger, Vancouver, WA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Major General Alexander Burgin, Salem, OR; Branch: Army NG; Field: Artillery
Major General Michael Conrad, McLean, VA; Field: Infantry
Major General James Delk, Fair Oaks, CA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Major General Jack Farris, New Jersey; Branch: Air Force; Field: Aviation (pilot)
Major General Fred Forster, Tennessee; Field: Aviation
Major General David Hale, Hampton Bays, NY; Field: Combat
Major General Randy Jayne, McClean, VA; Branch: Air NG; Field: Aviation (pilot)
Major General Dennis Laich, Dublin, OH; Branch: Army; Field: Military Police
Major General Dennis Malcor, Vine Grove, KY; Branch: Army; Field: Combat
Major General Michael Scotti*, Arlington, VA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Major General Harry Sieben, Minnesota; Branch: Army and Air NG
Rear Admiral William Retz; Branch: Navy
Brigadier General Clara Adams-Ender, Woodbridge, VA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Brigadier General Dale Barber, Waverly, NY; Branch: Army; Field: Infantry Engineer
Brigadier General Harold Bowman, Pleasant Hill, IA; Branch: Army NG; Field; Medical
Brigadier General Douglas Bradley, Diablo, CA; Branch: Army; Field: Medical
Brigadier General William Colvin; Branch: Army NG
Brigadier General Bob Hardy; Branch: Army
Brigadier General JD Johnson, Salt Lake City, UT; Branch: Army

For more information on the letter, visit The Michael Palm Center online.

- Steve Ralls

A Time for Heroes

I first met Brigadier General Keith Kerr when, in 2003, I helped to coordinate his ‘coming out’ – along with another General and an Admiral – in the New York Times. General Kerr’s honesty made history, making him one of the highest ranking military leaders to ever publicly acknowledge that he is gay. It was a moment of immense pride for me, and I still consider the story one of the highlights of my time with Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.

That pride was matched last night as I watched General Kerr address the Republican presidential candidates and call them out on their support for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The General’s question was eloquent, pointed and necessary. Here, at last, was a decorated veteran, with 43 years of service under his belt, calling on our political leaders to do the right thing and lift the ban. I was at home, beaming with pride as I watched General Kerr challenge the candidates on their support for a prejudicial and unnecessary law. By 10:55pm, I was sure the good General had launched an effective and important debate in our country about open service in the military.

By 11pm, however, I was on the phone with reporters who had been tipped off, apparently, by Bill Bennett (he of oh so many morals) that General Kerr was a supporter of Senator Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Mr. Bennett’s not-so-subtle insinuation was that General Kerr had been a Clinton ‘plant’ at the debate and that his motivation was to somehow initiate his own ‘shock and awe’ at the debate over the issue of gays in the military. Nothing, in fact, could have been further from the truth.

Continue reading A Time for Heroes at Bilerico.com . . .

A Gay General Asks. Will GOP Candidates Tell?

Brigadier General Keith Kerr, CSMR (Ret.), a member of SLDN's military advisory council, has posed a question for tonight's CNN/YouTube debate with GOP presidential candidates.

"I want to know," General Kerr, who has 43 years of service under his belt asks, "why you think that American men and women in uniform are not professional enough to serve with gays and lesbians."

It's a good question, and one we hope will make it into tonight's debate. Tune in to CNN, beginning at 8pm, to see if General Kerr's question makes the line-up.

- Steve Ralls

Judson Smith Speaks Out

Sarah Overstreet, a columnist at the Springfield, Missouri, News-Leader, has a piece in this morning's paper about SLDN client Judson Smith (pictured), an Honor Graduate of the United States Air Force Basic Military Training and the Louis F. Garland Fire Academy who was later stationed Patrick AFB with the 45th Space Wing Space Shuttle Support Team as a Firefighter/Paramedic.

"Judson Smith loved the military. Not liked — loved — the military," Overstreet writes in today's paper. But, she notes, "Our government booted him out of the job he loved under the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harass,' federal law, 10 U.S.C. 654."

Smith, as Overstreet points out, was outed by an email sent to his command. He never told, kept his end of the "Don't Tell" deal, but when his command asked about his sexual orientation, he felt compelled to be honest in his answer.

"Did I think about lying?" Smith asked himself. "Sure I did; I love what I do. But that's not who I am. The Air Force (core values are) 'Integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do.' If I lied, how could I have integrity about being who I am?"

Now, Smith is one of more than 12,000 men and women who have been discharged under the law. And Overstreet is not pleased.

"No part of this cockamamie law makes sense," she writes. "Don't tell? Of course people tell, especially if it will get someone else in trouble. Don't ask? The military is breaking the law consistently by asking."

"Our legislators pushed through a law whereby our military takes people and trains them to do the most difficult, professional, needed jobs we have to do — in the middle of a war, for crying out loud — then boots them and throws our tax dollars down a rathole," Overstreet says. "Then we get to pay again to train other people to do the jobs."

As for Smith, he's ready and willing to return to service when the ban is lifted. ""I would love to go back in the military if I could," he tells the News-Leader. If this law is repealed, everyone they kicked out will be able to re-enlist."

You can read Sarah Overstreet's full column online here.

- Steve Ralls

Have Your Say

SLDN was recently contacted by Dean Sinclair, and Active Duty Army Social Worker pursuing a Ph.D. in research, with an article about to appear in The Journal of Homosexuality. Sinclair’s dissertation will discuss gays in the military, with a close examination of the choices they must make in light of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." He is conducting an anonymous survey to further his research. The survey is, according to Sinclair, "intended for those who are active duty, prior active duty, or retired from active duty United States military and identify as being homosexual."

If that criteria applies to you, please take a moment to complete Sinclair’s survey and become a part of this fascinating research project. Simply follow this link.

- Elizabeth Bolles

Please note: This is not an SLDN survey, and SLDN makes no claims or endorsement regarding the survey, Dean Sinclair or the research being conducted. Active duty personnel, especially, should always be cautious about sharing personal, identifiable information about themselves online.

Cast Your Vote

On November 28th, YouTube and CNN will hold the second presidential primary debate. This time, the republicans will battle it out for the race to the White House. This means that it's time to cast your vote! What questions do you want to see answered? Go to www.communitycounts.us  to vote for your favorite video.

SLDN has cast our own question, in particular to Ron Paul, but the question is an important one. What will each candidate do to get rid of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and end the discrimination toward gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members. You can vote for our submission by going to the website and putting "Ron Paul" into the search box. Here is our question:

Here is another great question from a service member:


We can not get our questions answered without your votes so cast your vote today!

-Jason Knight

Getting the Job Done

In this morning's Detroit News, column Deb Price profiles SLDN's new executive director, Aubrey Sarvis.

Price begins by telling a pre-SLDN moment in Aubrey's career, when he convinced the chairman of Verizon to speak out on Capitol Hill in favor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA):

Imagine flying on Bell Atlantic's private jet in 1997 as the telecom giant's chief congressional lobbyist. You're the sole traveling companion of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Raymond Smith.

With your incredible access, you casually mention that you assume Smith knows you're gay and you'd very much appreciate it if he'd testify before the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee in favor of banning anti-gay job discrimination.

Smith does testify, saying savvy corporations support such workplace protections because "no company can afford to waste the talents and contributions of valuable employees as we compete in a global marketplace." Treating gay workers fairly "is good business andgood citizenship," he adds.

If you're Aubrey Sarvis, it doesn't take imagination to envision that scenario: He starred in it.

Sarvis enjoys amazing access, thanks to four decades in the corridors of power -- as chief counsel to the Senate Commerce Committee, at Bell Atlantic-turned Verizon, and as the head of his own lobbying firm. He's proven he's willing to pull strings to help those of us who're gay.

Now Sarvis has been recruited to lead the charge for ending anti-gay employment discrimination by one of the nation's largest employers, the U.S. military. . . .

. . . Over the years, SLDN's groundbreaking reports have educated the nation about the damage Don't Ask does to patriotic young gay Americans and to national security: Polls now show most Americans agree that gays should be able to serve openly. . . .

. . . SLDN made a smart tactical move in picking a seasoned Washington insider who enlisted at 17 in the Army and served for three years, much of it in Korea.

Public opinion hasn't yet gotten the ban lifted. But connections forged over decades at Washington cocktail parties and on private flights may be just what it takes to get the job done.

To read Deb's full column, click here.

- Steve Ralls

Episode 2

I am excited to announce the launch of our second episode of On Duty - SLDN's official podcast.

With more than 300 hits and 70 subscribers in the past two weeks since Episode 1 aired, we are more than excited to roll out the sequel. In this newest installment, you will find a news update, a special report from Staff Attorney Emily Hecht, online safety guidelines for active duty and reserve personnel, and much more.

Come see what all of the commotion is about. Visit On Duty where you can view and subscribe to our podcast through iTunes, or your favorite podcast engine. Be sure to visit our video page on our website as well for more videos.

From all of us at SLDN Happy Holidays!

-Jason Knight

A Message of Thanks from SLDN

As our nation takes time to give thanks for our friends, family and loved ones, I also want to thank each of you for your extraordinary support of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. As a former service member, I understand just how critical SLDN’s work is. Your generosity and partnership with SLDN ensured that, when I needed them, the SLDN team was there.

This Thanksgiving, more than 65,000 lesbian and gay Americans are reporting for duty in our armed forces. I join SLDN, and each of you, in expressing tremendous gratitude for their service and dedication. And we all owe a debt of thanks to the millions of LGBT veterans who have given so much to our country and our armed forces. Because of their service and sacrifice, we are all safer and more secure.

Your kindness ensures that SLDN is always there –answering calls for help from service members, like me, who depend on them. I know, first-hand, what a significant difference that kindness makes.

President John F. Kennedy once reminded us that, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” Each of you, through your steadfast support of the freedom to serve, have lived up to that call. We cannot thank you enough.

From the SLDN family to yours . . . Happy Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,

Former Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Knight
SLDN Communications Associate

On Bilerico: Hillary Got it Right

There have been some curious headlines in the LGBT press following remarks Senator Hillary Clinton made during a campaign stop in Tama, Iowa on Monday.

Answering a question from Air Force Major Gary Mathis of Cedar Rapids about privacy and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," Senator Clinton reiterated her long-held position that the ban on gay troops must be repealed. "I feel strongly that if someone wants to serve their country, if they’re a patriot, if they comply with the code of military justice and they have the appropriate behavior, they shouldn’t be disqualified from serving simply because they’re gay," Senator Clinton said.

She took exactly the right position: Opportunity for gay Americans to serve in our armed forces, and a level playing field for every service member, regardless of their sexual orientation.

So why did the LGBT blogosphere, Major Mathis - and even The New York Times - miss the point?

Continue reading Hillary Got It Right on Bilerico.com

CandidateFive Wants You!

CandidateFive, the nation's leading provider of GLBT recruiting products and services to Fortune 500 companies, is looking for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people who hold a security clearance. CandidateFive is currently recruiting GLBT employees for Raytheon, a major defense contractor that is interested in increasing its diversity and bringing more GLBT people onto their staff.

CandidateFive helps companies implement a strategy towards recruiting gay and lesbian professionals. "Our goal," says Regional Client Director Kip Reynolds, "is equality at work."

Former LGBT service members who were honorably discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and hold a security clearance, may be a perfect fit for these positions.

If you hold a security clearance, and are interested in learning more about CandidateFive's current opportunities, please contact Kip at (310) 657-6555, ext. 222 or email him at kip.reynolds@candidatefive.com .

For more information on CandidateFive, click here.

Remember

SLDN joins our friends and allies in the LGBT community today in observing the 9th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder in 1998 kicked off the Remembering Our Dead web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Since then, the event has grown to encompass memorials in dozens of cities across the world.

SLDN takes a moment today to also remember the transgender veterans of armed forces, who have sacrificed so much in service to our country. We salute the Transgender American Veterans Association, and all groups in our community working to end bias and discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression.

For more information on the Transgender Day of Remembrance, click here. And for a list of events around the country, visit Pam's House Blend online.

And today, please join SLDN in remembering.

- Steve Ralls

What the Pentagon Doesn't Tell

I recently read an article about the rise in Army desertion rates since 2003. And it was interesting to see that "saying you are gay" was listed as one of four main reasons for a soldier to be discharged without completing his or her enlistment contract.

There it was, ranked #3 on the list:

1) a soldier’s inability to meet physical fitness requirements

2) a soldier’s inability to adapt to the military life

3) a soldier saying he or she is gay and being required to leave under the so-called "don't ask, don't tell" policy

4) a soldier going AWOL

This list, presumably, came right out of the Pentagon press office.

In the past the DoD has also insisted that service members are mainly being discharged from the military under "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" because they are "telling." Pentagon leaders have also often implied that service members view the law as an easy "get out of jail free" card.

But while DoD likes to report numbers, they are less enthusiastic about reporting what lies behind data.

For example, "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" discharges are broken into three categories: "statements," "marriage" or "acts/conduct." The Pentagon doesn't tell us, though, that pretty much any circumstance that does not include a sexual act or marriage between members of the same gender is counted by DoD as a "statement" that violates "don't tell."

The reality I've seen in SLDN's case work is much different then how DoD spins the "statements" discharge number. Almost half of SLDN’s clients this year have been service members who were "outed" or threatened with outing. Unfortunately, many of those cases ended up with the service member being discharged under "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" with a "statement" discharge . . . even though they never really made a statement in the first place.

DoD also does not report on the number of people kicked out under the ban who try to re-enlist but are denied that opportunity because their discharge papers won’t allow it. Yet SLDN probably gets a dozen calls a month from discharged veterans seeking any means possible to go back to the jobs they love.

And despite the implication that soldiers are "saying they are gay" merely to leave the service, overall "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" discharge numbers keep going down – by nearly 50% since 2001. It's doubtful that is because the military is really only kicking out the true gay service members; I'm not even sure what the test for determining that would even look like. It's far more likely that commands are increasingly caring little about who their troops date . . . and their desire to keep highly trained and functional service members where they need them – on the front line and in support of all who are making a difference in the world.

But that may be another story behind the story that the Pentagon isn't ready to tell yet.

- Kathi S. Westcott

Quote of the Day

"I feel strongly that if someone wants to serve their country, if they're a patriot, if they'll comply with the code of military justice and have appropriate behavior, they should not be disqualified simply because they are gay."

- Senator Hillary Clinton, answering a question from an Iowa vet on Monday

12,000 Flags on the Mall

SLDN is proud to partner with Servicemembers United (formerly Call to Duty), the Human Rights Campaign, Log Cabin Republicans and Liberty Education Forum for a 3-day salute to the 12,000 men and women dismissed under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Beginning November 30th (the date "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" became law), 12,000 flags will be exhibited on the National Mall in our nation's capital. The 12,000 flags are an extraordinary, visual tribute to the service members who have been victims of this unjust and un-American law. The flags will be displayed from November 30th through December 2nd here in Washington, D.C.

Also join us for one (or more) of these events:

Friday, November 30
"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" Community Reception
6pm @ Bar Helix (Cash bar, light hors d’oeuvres)

Saturday, December 1
"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" Community Conference
9am-Noon @ HRC’s Equality Forum
1640 Rhode Island Ave NW

Saturday, December 1
Army Navy Game Football Party
Noon @ Nellie's Sports Bar

Sunday, December 2
Military Chaplains’ Prayer Service
11am on the National Mall

Make plans now to join us in Washington as we honor lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans who have served in our nation's armed forces.

- Steve Ralls

Don't Let Them Distort the Truth

Usually when large, anti-gay groups go on the attack against our community groups, they neglect to include SLDN in their line-up of targets. As a single issue organization with a relatively small budget, we aren't the target that our larger allies are when it comes to spears being thrown from the right.

Peter LaBarbera (pictured) of Americans for "Truth" - a far right group that conducts "undercover investigations" of gay events, among other things - increasingly likes paying attention to us, though. First, he gave us the flattering but much un-due credit for writing a recent episode of the ABC series Boston Legal. And now Peter is heaping more compliments on us, saying SLDN is among the groups that "focus like a laser beam" on getting our job done.

We're feeling the love, Peter. We're feeling the love.

LaBarbera's latest rant comes in the form (of course) of a fundraising letter. Employing the political scare tactics that some on his side of the fence love to use to raise money and votes, Peter implores his supporters to send in $100 to "keep Americans for Truth in the battle for truth and God’s morality." And he goes on to say that, "We need 100 supporters to give $100 towards our goal of raising $150,000 by year’s end."

And in a display of complete tastelessness, he even invokes the abolitionist Wendell Phillips, writing in his appeal that, "As a great abolitionist once said, eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."

How low can you go, LaBarbera?

So let's one-up Peter and give him something to be really worried about. Let's get 100 SLDN supporters (or more) to give $100 (or more) to counter-balance AFT's campaign to distort the "truth."

You can send a powerful message to Peter LaBarbera that we're proud, capable, patriotic Americans who aren't going to give up the fight to serve openly. You can prove to him that we can beat him at his own game.

So let's do it. Let's get 100 (or more) of you to give a tax-deductible contribution of $100 (or more) to SLDN, and dedicate your gift to the brave service members that Peter wants to defame and dishonor.

Click here to make your gift, and send Peter LaBarbera an unmistakable message: We won't let him distort the truth.

- Steve Ralls

Skelton: Readiness "Is Our Insurance Policy"

Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO), the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, says he is worried about a "hollow army," and is especially concerned about military readiness, given the war in Iraq, saying the U.S. military is "strained like never before."

In an interview with the Sedalia Democrat in Missouri, Skelton says that "We’re trying very hard to increase readiness in the military. I’m very concerned about readiness in the military." And the armed forces, he says, are "stretched much too thin."

In a Veterans Day speech in Jefferson City on Monday, Skelton said that, "Today’s Army soldiers — both officers and enlisted — are absolutely first rate professionals. However, this is an Army that is stressed and strained and experiencing readiness shortfalls among the non-deployed forces. . . . I worry that today’s lack of readiness is similar to what the U.S. Army experienced in 1980." That year, Skelton said, military leaders "described a 'hollow Army,' with tactical forces under strength and companies and platoons that had been zeroed out."

"Why should any of us worry about a military readiness crisis?," Skelton asked. "The lack of readiness of our Army forces that are not currently deployed is of great concern because we depend on those forces to be able to answer the nation’s call in the event of some unforeseen future conflict. Make no mistake, the American military remains a formidable force, even when stretched. But the way things are now, it would be difficult for those forces to respond in a timely manner. Readiness is our insurance policy for national security."

One option to boost military readiness, of course, is to pass The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, and repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." According to one estimate, at least 41,000 lesbian and gay Americans would be willing to enlist, without a ban in place. And with repeal, we'd stop the counter-productive practice of discharging two people - every day - because of the law.

It's always in the best interest of military readiness to retain good people, and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" makes that incredibly difficult to do.

And while Skelton has not spoken, to date, on the issue of repeal, he is known as a fair-minded lawmaker who keeps, as his first priority, the best interest of our service members at heart. As more and more members of his committee - and more and more Congressional veterans - enlist in the fight to repeal this law, we hope Congressman Skelton will take a look at "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" again, too.

"I know in my heart that as Americans, we have the strength to face today’s challenges, fulfill our duty, and do what is necessary to preserve this great country of ours," Skelton said on Monday.

One giant leap in facing those challenges and preserving our military's readiness would be to topple "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" once and for all.

And if you are a constituent of Congressman Skelton's, log on now and send him a message encouraging him to support repeal.

- Steve Ralls

"Out" and About at the Out 100

Friday night I had the honor of attending Out Magazine's Out 100 Party at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. Having forgotten my special wrist bands back in the office, I was stopped at the VIP entrance by a man we will call "Bruno". He obviously was a contract bodyguard from Russia who was not going to let me in until I pointed out that my photo was hanging on the wall. Entitled "The Rabblerousers", I was photographed with HRC's 'Defender' Joe Solmonese, ACLU's 'Liberator' Anthony Romero, and 'Provocateur' Lane Hudson. (They titled me the 'Revolutionary', where they got that - I do not know.)

Once inside, I was ushered to the VIP lounge, a balcony that overlooked the spacious hall filled with people. I bumped into Project Runway's Tim Gunn in the drink line and we chatted for a few minutes before he scurried off behind stage to prepare for his speach.

There were so many celebrities there! Jennifer Hudson, Mary Louise Parker, Chaka Kahn, Tori Spelling, and so many more - that I completely felt out of place. I am no celebrity, and I certainly did not belong in a room with so many big names.

It wasn't until I finally made it through the crowd to the photo wall that something hit me. Of course I am no star, but I realized that I had done something that I had never expected of myself - something that I hadn't known would make such an impact. So I guess that was something to be proud of.

I know now that because I stood up against a discriminatory policy that affects so many of my fellow service members, and in that I can be proud. With more and more attention to the absurdity of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and its impact on the military and service members, the closer we will come to an inclusive military that bases it's members on their charactor and not their status.

-Jason Knight

The Veterans You Honored

Many of you generously responded to SLDN's recent call to honor veterans through a contribution in support of our work to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

All of us at SLDN - and the men and women we serve - are enormously grateful for your support. And, as promised, we wanted to list the veterans in your life that you chose to remember with a gift.

Here, now, is a list of your favorite veterans . . .

Mrs. Mary Beth Lundgren, in honor of her husband Ted.

An anonymous donor, "In honor of two old friends, WWII vets who weren't asked and didn't tell!"

Mr. James Jolly, in honor of John R. McKnight.

Mr. Gene Bartfield, "to honor the valor and service to the nation, both in uniform and out, of former Army Captain Tanya Domi," and gifts to honor "the honorable service of my husband of 25 years, Tim LaCroix;" "the lives and service of my beloved friends, the late Matthew Faulk and Robert Davis, aboard the USS Nathahael Greene;" and "to honor the decency and valor of several unnamed young gay friends who believe in serving the nation despite the unconscionable burdens imposed on and risks to themselves by DA, DT."

Capt. Joan Darrah, USN (Ret.), in honor of Petty Office Horace D. Darrah, US Coast Guard and Captain Joan E. Darrah, USN (Ret).

Gen. Virgil Richard USA (Ret.), "in honor of one of my best bosses, LTG (Ret) Ted Jenes."

MSgt. Jean Albright, USAF (Ret.) in honor of Chicago Veterans Jim Darby and Jose Zuniga.

BG Keith H. Kerr, CSMR (Ret.) in honor of Lt Col Wendell H. Kerr.

Darcy Tyrrell, in honor of Major Marjorie A. Rudinsky (RET).

Ms. Sarah Wentz, in honor of Karen Armagost.

An anonymous gift in honor of "my favorite veteran, Jeff."

COL E. Leonard, USA (Ret.), "in honor of ALL veterans on November 11."

Mr. William Herrmann, "in memory of a friend of ours, Clarence W. Bunde who died this past year at the age of 102. He was a gay Army vereran of WWII. A draftsman, he helped design bridges destroyed by the departing Nazis in Italy & France."

Thank you to everyone who made a contribution as part of SLDN's "Honor Every Veteran" campaign. Your gift will be of immeasurable help in our fight to lift the ban.

- Aubrey Sarvis

A "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Handbook

Author Melissa Embser-Herbert explores the history of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," in a new book just released from Praeger Security International publishing. Embser-Herbert's new work traces the law from its origins in the early 1990s through its evolution and implementation into law in the United States military. She also evaluates the impact of post-9/11 events on the military, the law, and the ongoing debate surrounding the existence of the policy itself as lawmakers consider its repeal.

Her three-part history of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" begins with a brief look at earlier policies that preceded it, a discussion of events in 1992-1993 that resulted in the passage and implementation of the new law, and an examination of the law's impact on the military. She also compares the policy to that of other nations, such as Canada, Australia, and Great Britain, that eliminated similar restrictions as they sought ways to avoid a potential manpower shortage in their armed forces.

Embser-Herbert also examines U.S. experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan and what they can teach about gays and lesbians in the military. She concludes Part I with an analysis of whether the law might be repealed or overturned. Part II of the handbook provides summaries of key legal decisions, and Part III contains key documents, such as the language of the law itself and excerpts from current military regulations and training manuals. The book also includes a chronology of events, glossary of terms, an annotated bibliography and a foreword by SLDN advisory council member Lawrence J. Korb.

The U.S. Military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy: A Reference Handbook is now available online.

Geiselman in the York Daily Record

Retired Captain Sandy Geiselman, a member of SLDN's military advisory council, has a great op-ed in her hometown paper, The York Daily Record, about what it means to "honor every veteran" and the impact that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has on our communities.

"Now, more than ever, Veterans Day is a community observance," Geiselman writes. "As small cities and communities like York send their sons and daughters off to war, there is a bind between neighbors that forms out of concern for our extended family and appreciation for the selfless sacrifice of those who serve. As a veteran of the United States Navy who grew up and lived most of my life here, I know how meaningful Veterans Day is to many of you, and I join you today in honoring the service of our men and women in uniform and all those who have served in our nation's fighting forces."

"On this Veterans Day, however, there are many service members and vets you may not hear about ... because, like me, they happen to be lesbian or gay."

Geiselman, who served for 29 years on active duty and in the Reserves, goes on to say that, "This Veterans Day, we must all commit to honoring every veteran who has served in our armed forces and getting this law off the books. It is an unfair, un-American and unconscionable law to place on those who volunteer to defend our freedoms. And it doesn't just impact our service personnel. Its reach is much broader, and it impacts our families, communities and nation. Its repeal should be of concern to us all."

You can read her full op-ed online here.

- Steve Ralls

Honor Every Veteran

Serving As Transgender; Honoring Every Veteran

When most lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people think about Don't Ask, Don't Tell or the Solomon Amendment, they think about how these impact gay and lesbian service members. Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the Solomon Amendment impact more than just gays and lesbians. There are many who don't see differences between effeminate gay men, drag queens, cross-dressers, and transsexuals -- these groups are seen by many as all just gay men, identified as gay by their gender non-conformity. And, it's equally true that natal women are perceived as lesbian when the look or behave "too masculine."

This past week, the Gay & Lesbian Times highlighted my Don't Ask, Don't Tell story in their magazine. I experienced Don't Ask, Don't Tell as a subordinate and to my Executive Officer (XO) on the ship I was serving, who saw me as someone who was likely gay -- identified as such due to my inability to present as a masculine enough man.

I wasn't gay, but I was perceived as gay.

I experienced male-on-male sexual harassment in the last eight months in the Navy, in a way that was directly related to Don't Ask, Don't Tell rules, and was a closeted transgender person trying to make it through the end of obligated service so that I could retire at 20-years.

I love America. I served my country for 20-years in large part because I love my country.

And yet, America does herself great disservice by not embracing the idea of letting her LGBT citizens to openly serve their country in the military -- as we are, and not closeted. LGBT service members shouldn't be required to live in fear of discharge due to real or perceived sexual orientation, or due to real or perceived gender non-conformity.

Last Saturday night, I met a transgender, active duty service member at a fundraiser for the upcoming Transgender Day Of Remembrance memorial service. This Petty Officer serves our country honorably, but should the Petty Officer be discovered to be transgender, my nation would "honor" this closeted service member's decade-plus of sacrifice with a discharge indicating a "personality disorder." This isn't a way to honor every service member or a way to honor every veteran.

Our nation would best honor our LGBT service members and veterans by allowing our active duty LGBT service members to serve openly as they are. Honoring every veteran is an ideal worth embracing.

-Retired Navy Petty Officer Autumn Sandeen

You may have missed:
Monday - Former Marine Sergeant Brian Fricke
Tuesday - Prior US Army Major Jeff McGowan
Wednesday - Former Army First Lieutenant Steve Boeckels
Thursday - Former Air Force Staff Sergeant David Hall
Friday - Former Navy Petty Officer Jason Knight
Saturday - Former Navy Petty Officer Stephen Benjamin
Sunday - Sharon Alexander, Prior US Army Captain

Thank you to all of those that have contributed to this blog series and in helping to salute all of our Veterans and their service to our country. -Jason Knight

To Honor Those Who Can Not Serve

I’ve said this before so it’s old news.

But I feel that I don’t fit in on this national holiday to honor all the men and women of the Armed Services. When I go to this public ceremony I feel out of place. And that’s because the Armed Services has made me and many other gays and lesbians feel unwanted and undesirable to serve our country.

The army didn’t want me many years ago because I was a homosexual. I had a letter from my psychiatrist. So I got a 4-F status on my draft card. Embarrassing. But I lived with it. And now years later the Armed Services is still not allowing gays and lesbians to openly serve their country with policies of discrimination and hate.

But many gays and lesbians have served honorably and many have died for this country. And a large number have been dis-honorably discharged in spite of their accomplishments.

So I hold these folks in my thoughts on Veteran’s Day

But “Don’t ask, don’t tell” doesn’t work anymore. Because silence equals death. Just as surely as a bullet.

-Nick Kelly

Honor Every Veteran

As Jason mentioned in his post yesterday, Mark Twain wrote in one of his journals that, "In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot."

Gays and lesbians who serve under the Ban are those patriots. The personal cost can be enormous. Partners and lovers cease to exist, lovers become friends, and genders change in an instant. And to the extreme, fifteen years ago, being a patriot cost PO3 Allen Schindler his life.

Yet despite it all and even while condemned to the shadows: We still serve. As the great Dr. Martin Luther King believed, we also believe. We believe that the moral arc of the universe bends towards justice and that one day, our service will be fully honored. Because, in the end, it comes down to one thing, as former Army officer and current SLDN Board Member Jeff Cleghorn has reminded me of many times: Gay blood bleeds as red as straight.

That is why it is important to honor EVERY veteran.

-Former Navy Petty Officer Stephen Benjamin

You may have missed:
Monday - Former Marine Sergeant Brian Fricke
Tuesday - Prior US Army Major Jeff McGowan
Wednesday - Former Army First Lieutenant Steve Boeckels
Thursday - Former Air Force Staff Sergeant David Hall
Friday - Former Navy Petty Officer Jason Knight

Honor Every Veteran

One in a million. That sounds like an incredibly daunting statistic. However, when you put that in context to being one person in the estimated ranks of one million lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered veterans, that number steps into a new light. I can only say that it is the deepest honor.

Our men and women in uniform have been there since the beginning, selflessly answering the call to duty, and even some - making the ultimate sacrifice! Our Veterans do not go unnoticed or unthought of. Veterans Day, like any other day, is our opportunity to not only thank our LGBT Veterans for forsaking so much, but to honor each and every Veteran that has ever served.

"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot." ~Mark Twain, Notebook, 1935.

-Former Navy Petty Officer Jason Knight

You may have missed:
Monday - Former Marine Sergeant Brian Fricke
Tuesday - Prior US Army Major Jeff McGowan
Wednesday - Former Army First Lieutenant Steve Boeckels
Thursday - Former Air Force Staff Sergeant David Hall

The City of Angels Calls for Repeal

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to support City Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s resolution expressing their opposition to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and calling on Congress to adopt The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (HR 1246), legislation which would repeal the military's ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual personnel.

“Gays and lesbians have quietly served in the military with honor and distinction throughout American history,” said Rosendahl, a Vietnam-era army veteran. “It is ludicrous to think that if you want to serve your country, you have to lose part of your identity.”

“I am pleased to report that the Council passed the resolution unanimously," said former Marine Captain Tom Carpenter, a member of SLDN’s Board of Directors, who was instrumental in the resolution’s passage. "Special thanks to Councilmember Bill Rosendahl and [West Hollywood] Mayor pro-tem Jeff Prang who have been long time supporters of SLDN's efforts in LA. Bill eloquently presented the resolution and his fine staff helped make it all possible. LA now joins Atlanta, Chicago, NYC, Portland, St Louis, San Francisco, Tucson, and West Hollywood [on the growing list of communities that have passed resolutions calling for repeal].”

The resolution will now be sent to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for his signature.

To watch a video transcript of the City Council’s resolution, click here. Or, to learn how you can help sponsor a resolution in your hometown, visit SLDN online.

-Victor Maldonado

Landmark Guidelines for Transgender Vets' Care

Just in time for Veterans Day, the Veteran Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System has issued a landmark memo to its employees about providing quality care to transgender veterans who use the medical facility.

According to Bay Windows, "The memo mandates that veterans will be addressed and referred to by VA staff according to their self-identified gender both in verbal exchanges and in patient records. Patients will also be given rooming assignments and access to facilities such as restrooms based on their self-identified gender. The memo explains that while federal law prevents the VA from providing patients with sex reassignment surgery, the VA will provide hormone therapy and mental health services to transgender patients according to the accepted standards of care."

"Transgender patients will be cared for in an environment of openness, respect and honesty," reads the memo, in part. "A veteran’s physical status, surgical history, hormonal status, and medications are private, but should be available to providers directly involved in the veteran’s care. In this way the veteran is assured quality care, minimized risk of adverse pharmacological events (e.g., in the case of hormonal medication prescriptions), and provided with a supportive environment free of discrimination."

Monica Helms, president of the Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA), told the paper that, "The thing is there are other facilities that are doing what is in this policy. The difference is these other places don’t have a written policy, so it’s almost like the doctors that are there who treat transgender individuals, they decided this is how they’re going to do it, and the only difference is Boston decided to put it down on paper."

But the difference is important, too. By putting guidelines for treatment in writing, the hospital shows a concrete willingness to hold accountable hospital staff who do not follow the guidelines, and to being front-and-center about what transgender patients can expect when they seek treatment there.

The memo was written by VA clinical psychologist Dr. Jillian Shipherd. Originally, Shipherd worked with others in the Boston area to conduct trainings about transgender healthcare, focused on three areas: General trans healthcare and barriers to care, HIV prevention for trans patients and mental health and substance abuse issues in the trans community, according to Bay Windows. Then, six months ago, she began working on the memo.

"I have to tell you I have received nothing but positive and helpful comments. There have been no attempts to block this policy at all," said Shipherd.

And that, on this Friday eve of Veterans Day, is very good news for transgender vets who have so bravely served our country.

- Steve Ralls

Honor Every Veteran

One word comes to mind when I think of Veterans Day. That word is sacrifice. When anyone joins the military, for whatever reason, they are making a sacrifice to our country. As I was thinking about this today I thought about my family members who have served this great country. My grandfather served during WWII, my dad and step-dad both served 20 years in the Air Force, my younger brother is still serving in the Navy, I served in the Air Force, and my uncles and cousins are serving in the Army.

Veterans Day is a day to reflect and honor those who have sacrificed. I start by honoring my brother as he heads out on his deployment. He called me this weekend to tell me he was leaving the next day. I will be reflecting on the sacrifice he is making by leaving his wife and two sons at home; once again. He will be missing another year of holidays and birthdays; but proudly does it without out any reservations. Why you ask? Because that is what our country asks of us when we join the military. We chose to sacrifice for the greater good because we love our country and want to ensure the freedoms we have will always be there for the generations to come.

I will also be thinking about all of the LGBT service members who have sacrificed for this great country. They have served from the very beginning , serve today, and will continue to serve in the future. I look forward to the day when we will honor their service by repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and allow all Americans to sacrifice for our country equally without prejudice.

I conclude by giving a sharp salute to all the sons and daughters of this great country who have sacrificed for each and every one of us. Thank You!

-Former Air Force Staff Sergeant David Hall

You may have missed:
Monday - Former Marine Sergeant Brian Fricke
Tuesday - Prior US Army Major Jeff McGowan
Wednesday - Former Army First Lieutenant Steve Boeckels

Honor Every Veteran

As Veteran's Day approaches, I look back at my recent experience at my 10-Year West Point Reunion which occurred a month ago. My partner and I had a great time meeting friends and old classmates and catching up with each other professionally and personally. It was great to see that the so many classmates and friends were supportive about our presence. I also spoke to many of them at the evening banquet about my volunteer work to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the progress that has taken place over the last few years and the number of Congressional Representatives who have decided to co-sponsor HR-1246. It was great to see that many of my classmates not only supported our presence at the reunion, but they stated that DADT was "a ridiculous policy" and "long overdue for repeal". Others stressed that it was a human issue that needs to be addressed.

The next day at the parade, to my surprise I saw the same people not dressed in civilian attire, but they were in there military uniforms. They were Captains and Majors, mid level officers who commanded soldiers and who were dedicated to the principles of Duty, Honor, Country. I was confident knowing that they were committed to serving another 10 years or more and a rewarding thought knowing that these leaders were attune to the changing views that gays and lesbians should serve and serve openly.

The Reunion Weekend left a lasting positive impression knowing that some of these members of the Long Gray Line will one day be the Army's future Generals. I'm convinced that the time is near where not only will every Veteran be honored but every service member in uniform is honored regardless of their sexual preference and identity.

On Veteran's Day, take a moment to think of ALL Service Members and the challenges they face every day. One day some of them will have a few less challenges to face everyday and they will take a moment to thank us.

-Former Army First Lieutenant Steve Boeckels


You may have missed:
Monday - Former Marine Sergeant Brian Fricke
Tuesday - Prior US Army Major Jeff McGowan

Honor Every Veteran

Just about everyone fantasizes about being a hero at some point in their life. Whether it’s a sports hero, or a character from a movie, or one of countless other varieties, we all want to feel the adulation that comes from adventure, achievement or just simply being the center of attention.

Being a hero also implies that you may just be slightly better than everyone else - that you’re special. Heroes, you see, test themselves to the limit, and pass! Being a hero implies purity and redemption born of self-immolation for a cause. Heroes are true to a higher calling and therefore seem to have greater integrity, at least that’s what we hope and would like to believe.

When you are declared a hero you are more than accepted - you are imitated. You become the ideal that others strive to be.

If you are a hero in America, that’s the kind of treatment you get. Except of course, if you are one of the sixty-five thousand or so current lesbian, gay, or bisexual members of our Armed Forces who serve in silence.

If America decided to honor gay and lesbian service members as heroes, which they undoubtedly are, then they would become the stuff of dreams and inspiration. Kids everywhere might, god forbid, actually look up to them and want to be like them.

As a society, we might just begin to focus on who we are as individuals and not rely on worn-out stereotypes to choose our relationships.

Lamentably, America instead chooses to lie to itself, offering all sorts of reasons why gays and lesbians can’t be hero’s in the service of their country, most of which make no sense or are thinly veiled bigotry. Vast swaths of Mr. and Mrs. Straight continue to quiver, behind their little white picket fences and in the sweat-stained pews of their churches, at the thought of anyone not like them being honored or emulated. They would rather engage in a grand lie about what the gay community is, so that their limited world does not implode under the weight of its own hypocrisy.

Honoring every man and woman, who serves our country, means telling the truth. They exist. They do their jobs well. They are brave beyond belief. They are every shape, color, size and ethnicity possible.

They are heroes and I love them.

-Jeff McGowan, prior US Army Major

You may have missed:
Monday - Former Marine Sergeant Brian Fricke

Honor Every Veteran

This is the first of a week-long series. SLDN will be feature a new blog entry, every day, from a veteran about what it means to Honor Every Veteran. The series will end November 11th, Veterans Day.



To Honor Every Veteran is a constant unconscious deed as well as a deliberate action.

Every time an American chooses to go to work to provide for their families, every time they choose to take a day off and simply do nothing, they execute that choice freely and without intervention from foreign or domestic governments. When they speak their minds for or against our current leaders and execute their right to the freedom of speech, they honor every veteran. Every time they embrace their freedom of religion or from religion - or simply buy a newspaper or gather as a group - they honor every veteran.

The sacrifices made over the decades to preserve our flag are not in vain so long as we execute our rights as humans and as Americans to live freely. Veterans come in all shapes, sizes, colors, genders, sexual preferences and religions – that’s a fact, not an opinion. And it's not a choice whether or not to honor our American veterans . . . by living on American soil, you do it everyday. It shouldn't be left to the subconscious however; we should make a point to look at our Flag and remember those who served. They deserve our gratitude as individuals and as a free nation.

When you meet a vet along your path, remember the selfless sacrifice they made and the ultimate sacrifice they were willing to make on your behalf. We love our country, it's ethos, its lands and its people. We accept that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental right to men and women, and hold that ideal in the highest value. We veterans hold it above our own lives as individuals …. and many join our nation's armed cervices for that very reason alone.

Honor Every Veteran . . . live and help others to live free

- Former Marine Sergeant Brian Fricke

Clinton Reminds Gay Vet in Iowa that She Supports Repeal

Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) told a gay veteran in Iowa who was dismissed under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" that she continues to support repeal of the law that bans lesbian, gay and bisexual service members from our armed forces.

According to the Des Moines Register, "Nick Brown, 23, waited outside of Clinton’s Polk County field office at 1900 Ingersoll Ave. around 5 p.m. . . . to catch her as she greeted and shook hands with supporters."

Brown "pleaded" with Clinton, the Register reports, to endorse repeal of the law.

"I think it needs to be repealed," Clinton, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, said to him, noting that she has previously made such statements.

"Brown said he was forced to leave the military in 2003 after Army officials discovered he had a profile on a Web site designed for gay users," the papernoted. "I wanted to serve my country but I couldn’t because they don’t let gay men serve in the military," Brown said.

Clinton, who has been a longtime supporter of repeal, seems to have won the vet over.

He plans to vote for Clinton, Brown said after the event.

As the 2008 race heats up, there are a growing number of Americans anxious for a commander-in-chief who wants to lift the ban. And with all of the Democratic candidates calling for repeal, those who support open service have a long list of candidates to throw their support behind (unless they happen to be Republicans, as the GOP line-up has unanimously supported the status quo).

- Steve Ralls

Decision '07

If you can't wait until 2008 to cast a vote, we have good news for you! You can get an early start by voting for the Best LGBT Blog online . . . and two friends of Frontlines are nominated in this year's contest.

The Bilerico Project, where I blog, is nominated for the first time, and Pam's House Blend, the champ two years running (and where you might have caught live-blogging of SLDN's national dinner this year) is also on the list.

And you can vote once every 24 hours (kinda like in Florida!) for your favorite.

So click here to cast your vote . . . and come back tomorrow and vote again!

- Steve Ralls

Just Look at the Numbers

The Associated Press is reporting that Army General William S. Wallace has confirmed the U.S. Army will begin its recruiting year with fewer volunteers signed up for basic training than in any year since 1973.

In most years the Army begins it yearly recruiting efforts with about 25% of its recruitment goal already met, but waiting to be shipped off to basic training. This year, that "delayed entry pool" measures just 9% percent of the 2008 recruitment goal.

Gen. Wallace attributed the decline in the number of pre-signed recruits to the Army's decision last July to offer a $20,000 "quick ship" bonus to recruits willing to leave for basic training by the end of September.

It is unacceptable that the Army is spending $20,000 of our tax dollars to bribe enlistee's to sign up. Especially when there is a pool of able bodied Gay-Americans willing to help the Army meet its recruitment goals at no additional cost! "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is unnecessarily hurting America's ability to fill its ranks and secure its defense, and why?

Allowing the bigotry of a small minority to dictate the national security policies of the United States is dangerous, and if you don't believe me....just look at the numbers.

-Victor Maldonado

A. Lott : Like Superman

Today I learned that one of my heroes in the movement to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will receive an award from the Rhode Island Psychological Association for his many years of dedicated advocacy on that issue. That hero is Dr. Al Lott (pictured), Professor Emeritus at the University of Rhode Island and far and away SLDN’s most active volunteer in the Ocean State.

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and to look at Al Lott, you wouldn’t peg him for a hero. Al is an older gentleman, not a whole lot taller than me, with a kind face and a warm smile. When I took a road trip to do some grassroots organizing in the northeast last year, he and his lovely wife gave my daughter cookies and milk in their kitchen while Al and I sat at the table strategizing. In his corduroy blazer with the patches on the elbow, “superman” isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you look at him.

But Al is a lot like superman. With dogged determination he has pursued the goal of equality for LGBT service members, successfully advocating before the University of Rhode Island faculty senate for a resolution calling for repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” meeting with Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation and their staffs to present the facts and figures on why repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is good public policy, manning Pride tables and coordinating volunteers in Rhode Island for SLDN, writing opinion pieces and coordinating local media to educate people about the need for repeal. Every time I meet with Al I tell him this, and I will say it again: If we had someone like Al Lott in each of the 50 states, I’d be out of a job by now.

Many people may not know that Al is a World War II veteran. He fought for freedom before I was a gleam in my mother’s eye. I felt honored when Al chose to spend his 80th birthday with SLDN on Capitol Hill for one on our annual lobby days.

So on this occasion of Al’s receipt of the Musiker-Merenda award, I just want to say congratulations and thank you to Al Lott. You’re one of my heroes, and you inspire me. I hope when I am 80 years old, I’ll still be fighting as hard as you are.

- Sharon Alexander

A. Lott to Celebrate

It is always a pleasent surprise to find out that a friend of yours is being honored with an award. So this morning we were very pleased to learn that longtime SLDN friend and supporter, Dr. Albert J. Lott, has been awarded the Rhode Island Psychological Association's Musiker-Merenda award for significant contributions to mental health because of his work to help repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law.

A professor and social justice advocate for over 50 years, Al joined the faculty at the University of Rhode Island (URI) in 1969 and quickly became a pioneer in the field of women’s and men’s studies. His course on "Men and Masculinity" is still taught at URI today.

In 1996 Dr. Lott retired from teaching and has since dedicated much of his time to helping lift the ban on open service

Congratulations Al on this wonderful honor! With your continued support we will soon see the day when every member of the armed forces can serve honestly, openly, and with the dignity that is their due.

-Victor Maldonado