Bipartisan Coalition of Amici Curie Filing in Landmark Proposition 8 and DOMA Cases Stand Together for the Freedom to Marry and End to DOMA
Retired Navy Captain and OS-SLDN DOMA challenge plaintiff joins GOP, Labor, Business, Faith, and Families
(Washington, D.C.) A broad bipartisan coalition of organizations filing briefs with the United States Supreme Court as amici curiae, or “friends of the Court,” in support of the plaintiffs in the landmark cases challenging California’s Proposition 8 and the so-called federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) held a joint press conference on Thursday. The deadline to file briefs in the Proposition 8 case, Hollingsworth v. Perry, is today, and Friday for the DOMA case, United States v. Windsor.
The Hollingsworth v. Perry case challenges the constitutionality of the discriminatory “Prop 8” legislation in California, which was enacted in November 2008 and eliminated the right for same-sex couples to marry in California. The Windsor vs. United States case challenges Section 3 of DOMA, which was enacted by Congress in 1996 and nullifies the marriages of gay and lesbian couples for all purposes of federal law. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral argument in Perry on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 and in Windsor on Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Leaders and representatives from national Republican, labor, business, health care, faith, and military organizations joined with families from across the country to speak about why they filed briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the freedom to marry and against DOMA.
“I’m proud to join more than one hundred other Republicans who believe gay Americans shouldn’t be excluded from the fundamental right to marry the person you love,” said former Republican Congressman Jim Kolbe. “As a Republican, I believe in protecting individual freedoms and that everyone – including gay and lesbian Americans -- has a Constitutional right to be treated equally under the law.”
In addition to Rep. Kolbe, more than 100 other Conservatives and Republicans have signed on to an amicus brief in support of the freedom to marry. Organized by Former RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, that list includes Former President of the World Bank Paul Wolfowitz, Former Governor Jon Huntsman, Former Romney for President Campaign Manager Beth Myers, Former US Deputy Attorney General Jim Comey, former California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, and Congresswoman Ileana Ros Lehtinen, among many others.
Military officials and veterans are also speaking out in support of equal treatment for gay and lesbian service members and their families, which is not possible until DOMA is overturned. DOMA also remains a substantial impediment to the military’s post-DADT recruiting and retention initiatives.
“As a military veteran, there is no question that the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, discriminates against certain legally married service members, veterans, and their families,” saidformer Congressman Patrick Murphy. “The impacts of DOMA are real and this discriminatory law injures morale, readiness, cohesion and performance. There is no constitutional justification, let alone military rationale, that weighs in favor of permitting these threats to today’s military and our national security to continue.
“DOMA discriminates against same-sex legally married servicemembers, veterans, and their families,” said Captain Joan Darrah, US Navy (Ret). “Not only does it discriminate but it also unquestionably stands at odds with the military’s core value of equality and has hampered progress the military has tried to make post-DADT. By striking down DOMA, the military will be able to uphold its promises to its servicemembers.”
Darrah and her wife are plaintiffs in OutServe-SLDN's landmark litigation challenging DOMA in federal court. OutServe-SLDN will file its brief in the Windsor case on Friday.
In the Windsor case, 278 major corporations and employers, including Fortune 500 companies, major U.S. cities and counties, technology companies, media companies, insurers, non-profits, law and professional firms, restaurants, builders, and airlines have signed onto an amicus brief calling for an end to DOMA. In Perry, more than 100 major businesses operating in California, signed an amicus brief speaking out against Proposition 8. This broad support for the plaintiffs in the Windsor and Perry cases is in stark contrast to the lack of support for Proposition 8 or DOMA. In fact, no businesses submitted a brief on the other side.
Labor unions agree that DOMA and marriage inequality is bad for employees, and labor organizations including SEIU, the Change to Win Coalition, AFL-CIO and the NEA co-authored an amicus brief in support of equal rights for all people. For more than a generation, unions have negotiated domestic partner benefits for the workers they represent. They have ensured that union families—gay, lesbian or straight—have crucial access to health care, family and medical leave (FMLA) benefits and many other workplace benefits.
“Working people are standing alongside millions of other Americans in this fight for marriage equality because we believe in fairness and equality and don't think federal or state law should penalize people simply because of who they love," said Valarie Long, Executive Vice President, SEIU. “The Court should uphold the Court of Appeals rulings striking down DOMA and Proposition 8 and affirm the fundamental rights of all Americans to recognition of their families.”
A broad base of churches and religious organizations also submitted an amicus brief in support of the freedom to marry. Over 30 religious organizations that have signed on to briefs include the Bishops of the Episcopal Church, the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Covenant Network of Presbyterians, and Methodist Federation for Social Action.
“Our position on same-sex marriage is derived from our religion that emphasizes equality and compassion,” said Sandy Sorensen, Director of Washington Office, Justice and Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ. “Our country is founded in equality and discriminating against same-sex couples runs in opposition to the core principals of our nation and my religion. We strive for equality and we urge that it be extended to all couples, regardless of sexual orientation.”
“I believe in the Christian principles of justice, compassion, inclusivity and, most importantly, love,” said Rev. Scott Slater, Chief of Staff, Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. “All loving couples deserve to make a vow of lifetime commitment to one another and to have that marriage celebrated and protected.”
In their ongoing work to support civil rights, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund also filed an amicus brief in support of striking down DOMA and ending the discrimination against gay and lesbian citizens and their families.
“DOMA and other civil laws that purposefully infringe on the rights of gay people create and perpetuate a discriminatory societal division,” said Kim Keenan, General Counsel, NAACP. “By categorically excluding gay people from federal protections and obligations that come with civil marriage, DOMA intentionally segregates citizens on the basis of status. DOMA must be struck down because it denies Americans equal protection under the law based solely on sexual orientation."
And one of the most important voices among these briefs comes from PFLAG National, who simply want their loved ones’ relationships to be recognized as equal and valid under the law.
“My wife and I are devout Christians, and marriage means so much to us that when our son Lee came out as gay we wanted to make sure that his love was recognized the same as ours,” said Mike Neubecker, a PFLAG brief signer in support of the freedom to marry. “Lee and his husband David are entitled to a marriage full of life, love and family – and we want that for all couples.”
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The Respect for Marriage Coalition is a partnership of more than 80 civil rights, faith, health, labor, business, legal, LGBT, student, and women's organizations working together to end the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and grow support for the freedom to marry. The Coalition is co-chaired by Freedom to Marry and the Human Rights Campaign.
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ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Supreme Court Amicus Filers to Hold News Conference Thursday
THURSDAY: Bi-Partisan Coalition of Amicus Brief Filers in Landmark Perry and Windsor Supreme Court Cases Hold Press Conference
GOP, Labor, Business, Faith and Military Leaders Stand Together for the Freedom to Marry, Strike Down DOMA
Washington, D.C.—A broad bipartisan coalition of organizations planning to file amicus briefs in support of the plaintiffs in the landmark Perry v. Hollingsworth and Windsor vs. United States cases will hold a joint press conference at the Hyatt Regency on Thursday, February 28, at 9:30am ET. The deadline to file briefs in the Perry case is Thursday, and Friday for the Windsor case.
Leaders and representatives from national Republican, labor, business, health care, faith, and military organizations will attend and speak about why they are filing briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the freedom to marry and against the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.
The Perry v. Hollingsworth case challenges the constitutionality of discriminatory “Prop 8” legislation in California that eliminated the right for same-sex couples to marry in California. The Windsor vs. United States case challenges Section 3 of the DOMA, which excludes same-sex couples from the federal protections and benefits automatically granted to other married couples. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the cases on March 26 and 27.
WHAT:
Press Conference with Groups Filing Briefs in Support of Plaintiffs in Landmark Freedom to Marry and DOMA Supreme Court Cases
WHO:
GOP, Labor, Business, Faith and Military Leaders
WHEN:
Thursday, February 28 9:30 a.m.
WHERE:
Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill Columbia C (Lower Level) 400 New Jersey Ave NW Washington, DC 20001
# # #
The Respect for Marriage Coalition is a partnership of more than 80 civil rights, faith, health, labor, business, legal, LGBT, student, and women's organizations working together to end the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and grow support for the freedom to marry. The Coalition is co-chaired by Freedom to Marry and the Human Rights Campaign.
GOP, Labor, Business, Faith and Military Leaders Stand Together for the Freedom to Marry, Strike Down DOMA
Washington, D.C.—A broad bipartisan coalition of organizations planning to file amicus briefs in support of the plaintiffs in the landmark Perry v. Hollingsworth and Windsor vs. United States cases will hold a joint press conference at the Hyatt Regency on Thursday, February 28, at 9:30am ET. The deadline to file briefs in the Perry case is Thursday, and Friday for the Windsor case.
Leaders and representatives from national Republican, labor, business, health care, faith, and military organizations will attend and speak about why they are filing briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the freedom to marry and against the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.
The Perry v. Hollingsworth case challenges the constitutionality of discriminatory “Prop 8” legislation in California that eliminated the right for same-sex couples to marry in California. The Windsor vs. United States case challenges Section 3 of the DOMA, which excludes same-sex couples from the federal protections and benefits automatically granted to other married couples. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the cases on March 26 and 27.
WHAT:
Press Conference with Groups Filing Briefs in Support of Plaintiffs in Landmark Freedom to Marry and DOMA Supreme Court Cases
WHO:
GOP, Labor, Business, Faith and Military Leaders
WHEN:
Thursday, February 28 9:30 a.m.
WHERE:
Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill Columbia C (Lower Level) 400 New Jersey Ave NW Washington, DC 20001
# # #
The Respect for Marriage Coalition is a partnership of more than 80 civil rights, faith, health, labor, business, legal, LGBT, student, and women's organizations working together to end the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and grow support for the freedom to marry. The Coalition is co-chaired by Freedom to Marry and the Human Rights Campaign.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Statement on Hagel Confirmation
Robinson: Hagel Confirmation a Win for LGBT Equality in the Military
It’s time to take the next steps to honor and protect all service members, OutServe-SLDN leader says
(WASHINGTON DC) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson praised the Senate for confirming former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel as the nation’s next Secretary of Defense and called on him to address the military's lack of discrimination and harassment protections for gay and lesbian service members.
“We congratulate Senator Hagel for enduring an incredibly arduous confirmation process to become our next Secretary of Defense – this is a win for all service members, and for LGBT service members and their families especially. We thank the Senator for his commitment to equal treatment and equal opportunity, and we urge him to take swift action to include our service members in non-discrimination and anti-harassment protections,” said Robinson.
Unlike other minority groups, LGBT service members are not currently protected with an avenue of recourse outside their chain of command should they experience harassment or discrimination. Such protections are common elsewhere in the federal government and throughout the private sector, with 88 percent of Fortune 500 companies protecting employees from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Hagel came under fire during the nomination process for past votes and statements at odds with the President's commitment to gay and lesbian equality in the military. He quickly addressed those, however, voicing unequivocal support for the nation’s LGBT service members and their families and committing to extend to them all benefits available under law. He reiterated that commitment during his confirmation hearing in January; former Secretary Leon Panetta acted to extend many (though not all) of those benefits to gay and lesbian service members on February 11.
“It has been reassuring to see Senator Hagel show the kind of clear, unambiguous leadership in support of our service members and their families he has demonstrated in recent months. Now he has the opportunity to turn his commitments into action, and we look forward to working with him to ensure our military embodies the same values of fairness and equality it protects” said Robinson.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
It’s time to take the next steps to honor and protect all service members, OutServe-SLDN leader says
(WASHINGTON DC) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson praised the Senate for confirming former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel as the nation’s next Secretary of Defense and called on him to address the military's lack of discrimination and harassment protections for gay and lesbian service members.
“We congratulate Senator Hagel for enduring an incredibly arduous confirmation process to become our next Secretary of Defense – this is a win for all service members, and for LGBT service members and their families especially. We thank the Senator for his commitment to equal treatment and equal opportunity, and we urge him to take swift action to include our service members in non-discrimination and anti-harassment protections,” said Robinson.
Unlike other minority groups, LGBT service members are not currently protected with an avenue of recourse outside their chain of command should they experience harassment or discrimination. Such protections are common elsewhere in the federal government and throughout the private sector, with 88 percent of Fortune 500 companies protecting employees from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Hagel came under fire during the nomination process for past votes and statements at odds with the President's commitment to gay and lesbian equality in the military. He quickly addressed those, however, voicing unequivocal support for the nation’s LGBT service members and their families and committing to extend to them all benefits available under law. He reiterated that commitment during his confirmation hearing in January; former Secretary Leon Panetta acted to extend many (though not all) of those benefits to gay and lesbian service members on February 11.
“It has been reassuring to see Senator Hagel show the kind of clear, unambiguous leadership in support of our service members and their families he has demonstrated in recent months. Now he has the opportunity to turn his commitments into action, and we look forward to working with him to ensure our military embodies the same values of fairness and equality it protects” said Robinson.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
New report on DOMA harm to military
(Washington, D.C.) Following Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s recent announcement that the Department of Defense would extend some benefits to same-sex couples, advocates quickly turned to another stumbling block—the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, awaiting a Supreme Court ruling on its constitutionality this summer. Today the Center for American Progress and OutServe-SLDN released a report, “Collateral Damage: How the Defense of Marriage Act Harms the Troops and Undermines the U.S. Military,”which details exactly how DOMA negatively affects gay service members and their families, even
“The Defense of Marriage Act was enacted before same-sex marriage was legal anywhere in the United States,” said Katie Miller, author of the report. “Now that nine states have broken down that barrier, it is time that the integrity of all marriages is defended by federal law. No man or woman who dedicates their life to the protection of our country should have to worry about their families being cared for in their absence. Creating two classes of service members is no way to treat our troops and no way to run our military.”with Secretary Panetta’s reforms, and how it will continue to undermine our military unless the law is struck down.
While the Pentagon was able to extend a number of benefits independent of DOMA’s repeal, it is Congress that grants the most important and financially robust benefits to service members and relies on the definition of marriage set forth in DOMA that excludes same-sex married couples. Nearly 100 of the statutory benefits conferred on our troops depend on this definition of marital status and are denied same-sex military spouses and their children—including housing and moving benefits, health insurance, and employment assistance. In fact, DOMA would deny legal spouses immediate emergency notification if their husband or wife was killed, wounded, or missing in action and deny them the right to be laid to rest beside them in a military cemetery.
Capt. Matthew Phelps, an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, who made headlines when he became the first gay man to propose marriage to his partner at the White House expects to receive orders for Okinawa, Japan, at the end of summer. As long as DOMA remains in effect and the cost of his moving is taken into consideration, Capt. Phelps may expect to receive about $20,000 less in benefits and allowances than the other married servicemen that he serves beside.
“As much as military leaders at all levels may wish to treat the troops under their command with equity, they are forced by federal law to discriminate,” said Allyson D. Robinson, Executive Director of OutServe-SLDN. “As a result, gay and lesbian service members are denied access to critical benefits and meaningful support programs the services provides to help families face the unique challenges of military life. This denial weakens the force itself.”
To speak with Katie Miller, please contact Christina DiPasquale at 202.481.8181 or cdipasquale@americanprogress.org. To speak with Allyson D. Robinson, please contact Zeke Stokes at 202.621.5406 or zeke@outserve-sldn.org.
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OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
The Center for American Progress is a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to promoting a strong, just and free America that ensures opportunity for all. We believe that Americans are bound together by a common commitment to these values and we aspire to ensure that our national policies reflect these values. We work to find progressive and pragmatic solutions to significant domestic and international problems and develop policy proposals that foster a government that is "of the people, by the people, and for the people."
“The Defense of Marriage Act was enacted before same-sex marriage was legal anywhere in the United States,” said Katie Miller, author of the report. “Now that nine states have broken down that barrier, it is time that the integrity of all marriages is defended by federal law. No man or woman who dedicates their life to the protection of our country should have to worry about their families being cared for in their absence. Creating two classes of service members is no way to treat our troops and no way to run our military.”with Secretary Panetta’s reforms, and how it will continue to undermine our military unless the law is struck down.
While the Pentagon was able to extend a number of benefits independent of DOMA’s repeal, it is Congress that grants the most important and financially robust benefits to service members and relies on the definition of marriage set forth in DOMA that excludes same-sex married couples. Nearly 100 of the statutory benefits conferred on our troops depend on this definition of marital status and are denied same-sex military spouses and their children—including housing and moving benefits, health insurance, and employment assistance. In fact, DOMA would deny legal spouses immediate emergency notification if their husband or wife was killed, wounded, or missing in action and deny them the right to be laid to rest beside them in a military cemetery.
Capt. Matthew Phelps, an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, who made headlines when he became the first gay man to propose marriage to his partner at the White House expects to receive orders for Okinawa, Japan, at the end of summer. As long as DOMA remains in effect and the cost of his moving is taken into consideration, Capt. Phelps may expect to receive about $20,000 less in benefits and allowances than the other married servicemen that he serves beside.
“As much as military leaders at all levels may wish to treat the troops under their command with equity, they are forced by federal law to discriminate,” said Allyson D. Robinson, Executive Director of OutServe-SLDN. “As a result, gay and lesbian service members are denied access to critical benefits and meaningful support programs the services provides to help families face the unique challenges of military life. This denial weakens the force itself.”
To speak with Katie Miller, please contact Christina DiPasquale at 202.481.8181 or cdipasquale@americanprogress.org. To speak with Allyson D. Robinson, please contact Zeke Stokes at 202.621.5406 or zeke@outserve-sldn.org.
###
OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
The Center for American Progress is a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to promoting a strong, just and free America that ensures opportunity for all. We believe that Americans are bound together by a common commitment to these values and we aspire to ensure that our national policies reflect these values. We work to find progressive and pragmatic solutions to significant domestic and international problems and develop policy proposals that foster a government that is "of the people, by the people, and for the people."
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Army Colonel to Become OutServe-SLDN Chapter Director
Retiring Army Colonel Tapped to Become First OutServe-SLDN Chapter Director
Espinas will lead chapter and membership development initiatives in Washington, DC
(Washington, DC) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson announced today the appointment of Colonel Gary D. Espinas, currently a military professor of national security affairs in Monterey, California, as the first Director of Chapter and Member Services at OutServe-SLDN. Espinas will begin the newly created full-time position on April 30 following his military retirement.
“Colonel Espinas is exactly the kind of experienced military leader we need to build upon the rapid growth our membership and chapters have experienced since OutServe’s founding in 2010. Now, as we seek to expand our membership still further and build a sustainable chapter structure for the future, his expertise will be essential, and we welcome him to the team,” said Robinson.
A U.S. Army Foreign Area Officer specializing in Eurasia, Espinas previously served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as Director for Russia, Caucasus, and Black Sea Policy. In this capacity, he advised the Secretary of Defense and senior members of his staff on policy guidance, strategic direction, and security cooperation programming for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine, enabling them to shape decisively U.S. policy towards the region.
In 2003, he was investigated under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and successfully beat back an attempt to remove him from service.
“Colonel Espinas brings a unique perspective to this position. He served under the discriminatory ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law, fought back against efforts to discharge him, and went on to serve with dignity and integrity following the law’s repeal. He will be able to relate to our members very effectively,” said Robinson.
From 2009 to 2011, Espinas served as President of the Foreign Area Officer Association (FAOA), the nationwide professional organization for FAOs, commissioned officers from the four branches of the United States armed forces who are regionally-focused experts in political-military operations. Under his leadership, FAOA was transformed into a more relevant and cutting edge organization that better serves the FAO community. He oversaw a growth in membership by 30 percent and a revenue flow that more than tripled under his watch. He also led a successful rebranding effort and built a new communications presence for FAOA that reflects the realities of new media and social media.
Espinas’s previous political-military assignments include: Senior Political-Military Advisor for Conventional Arms Control, U.S. Department of State; Executive Officer to the Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, Headquarters, Department of the Army; Political-Military Officer for Strategic Arms Control, U.S. Embassy, Moscow, Russian Federation; and Deputy Inspection Team Chief and Arms Control Inspector, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Frankfurt, Germany.
A Distinguished Military Graduate of the Army ROTC program at the University of California at Berkeley, Espinas was commissioned in the Field Artillery in 1987. His first assignment was Battery Officer for 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), at Ft Campbell, Kentucky. During this time, Colonel Espinas deployed to Saudi Arabia and Iraq in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Later, he served in the Republic of Korea as Fire Support Officer for 5th Squadron, 17th Cavalry, and also as Commander for Battery C, 1st Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.
Espinas earned his M.S. in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in 2008, an M.A. in Russian Studies from Harvard University in 1997, and B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley in 1987. His military education includes the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Defense Language Institute (Russian), Armor Officer Advance Course, and Field Artillery Advance and Basic Courses.
His personal awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (oak leaf cluster), and Meritorious Service Medal (two oak leaf clusters). He has been awarded the Honorable Order of St. Barbara and was twice awarded the U.S. Department of State Superior Honor Award.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Espinas will lead chapter and membership development initiatives in Washington, DC
(Washington, DC) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson announced today the appointment of Colonel Gary D. Espinas, currently a military professor of national security affairs in Monterey, California, as the first Director of Chapter and Member Services at OutServe-SLDN. Espinas will begin the newly created full-time position on April 30 following his military retirement.
“Colonel Espinas is exactly the kind of experienced military leader we need to build upon the rapid growth our membership and chapters have experienced since OutServe’s founding in 2010. Now, as we seek to expand our membership still further and build a sustainable chapter structure for the future, his expertise will be essential, and we welcome him to the team,” said Robinson.
A U.S. Army Foreign Area Officer specializing in Eurasia, Espinas previously served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as Director for Russia, Caucasus, and Black Sea Policy. In this capacity, he advised the Secretary of Defense and senior members of his staff on policy guidance, strategic direction, and security cooperation programming for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine, enabling them to shape decisively U.S. policy towards the region.
In 2003, he was investigated under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and successfully beat back an attempt to remove him from service.
“Colonel Espinas brings a unique perspective to this position. He served under the discriminatory ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law, fought back against efforts to discharge him, and went on to serve with dignity and integrity following the law’s repeal. He will be able to relate to our members very effectively,” said Robinson.
From 2009 to 2011, Espinas served as President of the Foreign Area Officer Association (FAOA), the nationwide professional organization for FAOs, commissioned officers from the four branches of the United States armed forces who are regionally-focused experts in political-military operations. Under his leadership, FAOA was transformed into a more relevant and cutting edge organization that better serves the FAO community. He oversaw a growth in membership by 30 percent and a revenue flow that more than tripled under his watch. He also led a successful rebranding effort and built a new communications presence for FAOA that reflects the realities of new media and social media.
Espinas’s previous political-military assignments include: Senior Political-Military Advisor for Conventional Arms Control, U.S. Department of State; Executive Officer to the Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, Headquarters, Department of the Army; Political-Military Officer for Strategic Arms Control, U.S. Embassy, Moscow, Russian Federation; and Deputy Inspection Team Chief and Arms Control Inspector, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Frankfurt, Germany.
A Distinguished Military Graduate of the Army ROTC program at the University of California at Berkeley, Espinas was commissioned in the Field Artillery in 1987. His first assignment was Battery Officer for 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), at Ft Campbell, Kentucky. During this time, Colonel Espinas deployed to Saudi Arabia and Iraq in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Later, he served in the Republic of Korea as Fire Support Officer for 5th Squadron, 17th Cavalry, and also as Commander for Battery C, 1st Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.
Espinas earned his M.S. in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in 2008, an M.A. in Russian Studies from Harvard University in 1997, and B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley in 1987. His military education includes the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Defense Language Institute (Russian), Armor Officer Advance Course, and Field Artillery Advance and Basic Courses.
His personal awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (oak leaf cluster), and Meritorious Service Medal (two oak leaf clusters). He has been awarded the Honorable Order of St. Barbara and was twice awarded the U.S. Department of State Superior Honor Award.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Shaheen, Gillibrand introduce "Charlie Morgan Act"
Shaheen, Gillibrand Introduce Military Equality Bill Named for CW2 Charlie Morgan
Senate Version of Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act Would Equalize Benefits, Support for All Military Families
(Washington, DC) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson today applauded the introduction of the Charlie Morgan Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act of 2013, the Senate companion bill to the Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act of 2013 (MSET) - introduced in the U.S. House Thursday by Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) - that would change the definition of "spouse" in four areas of U.S. Code related to recognition, support, and benefits for married service members and veterans. The changes - including to provisions in Titles 10, 32, and 38 that are challenged in OutServe-SLDN's landmark litigation, McLaughlin v. U.S., filed in October 2011 - would ensure that spouses of the same gender are eligible for key military benefits. The Senate bill was introduced by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) with lead co-sponsor Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NH) in honor of Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard, who passed away this week following a long fight with cancer during which she became a national advocate for LGBT military equality.
"Since the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ there have been two classes of service members in this country - one that receives the nation’s full recognition, support and benefits and one that does not. By making an arbitrary distinction between gay and lesbian troops and their straight comrades, and forcing commanders to play favorites, the law as it stands harms all service members and weakens the force. This legislation fixes that problem and honors the legacy of Charlie Morgan, who made this her life's work even as she fought for her own health over these last two years," said Robinson.
Morgan came out on MSNBC on the September 20, 2011, the day of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal, and became a nationally recognized advocate against the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bars her wife, Karen, from receiving military, Social Security and other benefits to help her care for their five-year-old daughter Casey Elena. The Morgans are plaintiffs in a lawsuit brought by OutServe-SLDN in October 2011 challenging DOMA and other federal statutes that prevent the military from providing equal recognition and support to same-sex military spouses. Currently, the Morgans do not receive the same protections as their straight, married peers, and Karen is not entitled to survivor's benefits following CW2 Morgan's death.
CW2 Morgan also drew national support in February 2012 when she visited Capitol Hill to meet with the staff of Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) to tell her personal story and share how the Speaker's ongoing legal defense of DOMA via the House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) harms her family. There, she detailed her battle with incurable stage-four breast cancer and asked the Speaker to drop his legal defense of DOMA. Boehner ignored her pleas and continues to defend the discriminatory law in court.
Robinson said today that the changes the bill makes to U.S. law would still be necessary even if the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) were to be struck down or repealed, because they address entirely separate laws governing support and benefits for military members and veterans.
In addition to the titles challenged by OutServe-SLDN's court case, the bill adds a favorable controlling definition of "spouse" to Title 37 to provide greater uniformity of benefits for same-sex spouses. Taken together, It would extend dozens of important spousal benefits and support programs to same-gender spouses, including coverage under TriCare insurance, an increased housing allowance and survivor benefits - and close some of the gaps left after the Pentagon’s limited extension of benefits announced earlier this week.
“Treating service members equally, without partiality or favoritism, is one of the most basic principles of sound military leadership,” said Robinson. “For this reason, equality for LGBT troops and their families is a national security issue. Commanders should not be forced to treat some service members like second-class citizens because the federal government does not recognize their marriages. Today, we thank Senator Shaheen for taking this crucial step to strengthen our military, and we urge her colleagues in both parties and in both houses of Congress to join her and us in this important fight," said Robinson.
Robinson attended Morgan's memorial service in Portsmouth, NH yesterday.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Senate Version of Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act Would Equalize Benefits, Support for All Military Families
(Washington, DC) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson today applauded the introduction of the Charlie Morgan Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act of 2013, the Senate companion bill to the Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act of 2013 (MSET) - introduced in the U.S. House Thursday by Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) - that would change the definition of "spouse" in four areas of U.S. Code related to recognition, support, and benefits for married service members and veterans. The changes - including to provisions in Titles 10, 32, and 38 that are challenged in OutServe-SLDN's landmark litigation, McLaughlin v. U.S., filed in October 2011 - would ensure that spouses of the same gender are eligible for key military benefits. The Senate bill was introduced by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) with lead co-sponsor Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NH) in honor of Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard, who passed away this week following a long fight with cancer during which she became a national advocate for LGBT military equality.
"Since the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ there have been two classes of service members in this country - one that receives the nation’s full recognition, support and benefits and one that does not. By making an arbitrary distinction between gay and lesbian troops and their straight comrades, and forcing commanders to play favorites, the law as it stands harms all service members and weakens the force. This legislation fixes that problem and honors the legacy of Charlie Morgan, who made this her life's work even as she fought for her own health over these last two years," said Robinson.
Morgan came out on MSNBC on the September 20, 2011, the day of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal, and became a nationally recognized advocate against the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bars her wife, Karen, from receiving military, Social Security and other benefits to help her care for their five-year-old daughter Casey Elena. The Morgans are plaintiffs in a lawsuit brought by OutServe-SLDN in October 2011 challenging DOMA and other federal statutes that prevent the military from providing equal recognition and support to same-sex military spouses. Currently, the Morgans do not receive the same protections as their straight, married peers, and Karen is not entitled to survivor's benefits following CW2 Morgan's death.
CW2 Morgan also drew national support in February 2012 when she visited Capitol Hill to meet with the staff of Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) to tell her personal story and share how the Speaker's ongoing legal defense of DOMA via the House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) harms her family. There, she detailed her battle with incurable stage-four breast cancer and asked the Speaker to drop his legal defense of DOMA. Boehner ignored her pleas and continues to defend the discriminatory law in court.
Robinson said today that the changes the bill makes to U.S. law would still be necessary even if the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) were to be struck down or repealed, because they address entirely separate laws governing support and benefits for military members and veterans.
In addition to the titles challenged by OutServe-SLDN's court case, the bill adds a favorable controlling definition of "spouse" to Title 37 to provide greater uniformity of benefits for same-sex spouses. Taken together, It would extend dozens of important spousal benefits and support programs to same-gender spouses, including coverage under TriCare insurance, an increased housing allowance and survivor benefits - and close some of the gaps left after the Pentagon’s limited extension of benefits announced earlier this week.
“Treating service members equally, without partiality or favoritism, is one of the most basic principles of sound military leadership,” said Robinson. “For this reason, equality for LGBT troops and their families is a national security issue. Commanders should not be forced to treat some service members like second-class citizens because the federal government does not recognize their marriages. Today, we thank Senator Shaheen for taking this crucial step to strengthen our military, and we urge her colleagues in both parties and in both houses of Congress to join her and us in this important fight," said Robinson.
Robinson attended Morgan's memorial service in Portsmouth, NH yesterday.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
ROBINSON PRAISES SMITH RE-INTRODUCTION OF HOUSE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ENSURE EQUAL SUPPORT, BENEFITS FOR ALL MILITARY FAMILIES
(Washington, DC) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson today applauded the re-introduction of H.R. 683, The Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act of 2013 (MSET) that would change the definition of "spouse" in four areas of U.S. Code related to recognition, support, and benefits for married service members and veterans. The changes - including to provisions in Titles 10, 32, and 38 that are challenged in OutServe-SLDN's landmark litigation, McLaughlin v. U.S., filed in October 2011 - would ensure that spouses of the same gender are eligible for key military benefits. The bill was first introduced in 2012.
"Since the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ there have been two classes of service members in this country - one that receives the nation’s full recognition, support and benefits and one that does not. By making an arbitrary distinction between gay and lesbian troops and their straight comrades, and forcing commanders to play favorites, the law as it stands harms all service members and weakens the force. This legislation fixes that problem," said Robinson.
Robinson said today that the changes MSET makes to U.S. law would still be necessary even if the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) were to be struck down or repealed, because they address entirely separate laws governing support and benefits for military members and veterans.
In addition to the titles challenged by OutServe-SLDN's court case, the bill - introduced by House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) - also adds a favorable controlling definition of "spouse" to Title 37 to provide greater uniformity of benefits for same-sex spouses. Taken together, MSET would extend dozens of important spousal benefits and support programs to same-gender spouses, including coverage under TriCare insurance, an increased housing allowance and survivor benefits - and close some of the gaps left after the Pentagon’s limited extension of benefits announced earlier this week.
“Treating service members equally, without partiality or favoritism, is one of the most basic principles of sound military leadership,” said Robinson. “For this reason, equality for LGBT troops and their families is a national security issue. Commanders should not be forced to treat some service members like second-class citizens because the federal government does not recognize their marriages. Today, we thank Congressman Smith for taking this crucial step to strengthen our military, and we urge his colleagues in both parties and in both houses of Congress to join him and us in this important fight," said Robinson.
Robinson said she expects a companion bill to be introduced soon in the U.S. Senate and that OutServe-SLDN, working with allies, will work to gain co-sponsors for the legislation in both bodies.
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ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
"Since the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ there have been two classes of service members in this country - one that receives the nation’s full recognition, support and benefits and one that does not. By making an arbitrary distinction between gay and lesbian troops and their straight comrades, and forcing commanders to play favorites, the law as it stands harms all service members and weakens the force. This legislation fixes that problem," said Robinson.
Robinson said today that the changes MSET makes to U.S. law would still be necessary even if the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) were to be struck down or repealed, because they address entirely separate laws governing support and benefits for military members and veterans.
In addition to the titles challenged by OutServe-SLDN's court case, the bill - introduced by House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) - also adds a favorable controlling definition of "spouse" to Title 37 to provide greater uniformity of benefits for same-sex spouses. Taken together, MSET would extend dozens of important spousal benefits and support programs to same-gender spouses, including coverage under TriCare insurance, an increased housing allowance and survivor benefits - and close some of the gaps left after the Pentagon’s limited extension of benefits announced earlier this week.
“Treating service members equally, without partiality or favoritism, is one of the most basic principles of sound military leadership,” said Robinson. “For this reason, equality for LGBT troops and their families is a national security issue. Commanders should not be forced to treat some service members like second-class citizens because the federal government does not recognize their marriages. Today, we thank Congressman Smith for taking this crucial step to strengthen our military, and we urge his colleagues in both parties and in both houses of Congress to join him and us in this important fight," said Robinson.
Robinson said she expects a companion bill to be introduced soon in the U.S. Senate and that OutServe-SLDN, working with allies, will work to gain co-sponsors for the legislation in both bodies.
###
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
President Calls for Equal Benefits for All Service Members
President Calls for Equal Treatment of Gay & Lesbian Service Members in State of the Union
(Washington, DC) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson released the following statement in response to tonight’s State of the Union Address by President Barack Obama:
“President Obama was very clear tonight in his assertion that lesbian and gay service members and their families must be treated equally by the nation they serve. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta opened the path to equal recognition, benefits, and support to gay and lesbian service members this week. To finish the task, the Supreme Court must strike down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. Secretary Panetta's successor must enact equal opportunity and non-discrimination policies that protect LGBT troops and ensure America's military can attract and retain America's best. And outmoded, obsolete policies that bar qualified American patriots who are transgender from military service must be eliminated. At OutServe-SLDN, we and our 6,000 LGBT members in uniform stand ready to work with the President, Congress, and the Pentagon to make this vision a reality.”
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
(Washington, DC) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson released the following statement in response to tonight’s State of the Union Address by President Barack Obama:
“President Obama was very clear tonight in his assertion that lesbian and gay service members and their families must be treated equally by the nation they serve. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta opened the path to equal recognition, benefits, and support to gay and lesbian service members this week. To finish the task, the Supreme Court must strike down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. Secretary Panetta's successor must enact equal opportunity and non-discrimination policies that protect LGBT troops and ensure America's military can attract and retain America's best. And outmoded, obsolete policies that bar qualified American patriots who are transgender from military service must be eliminated. At OutServe-SLDN, we and our 6,000 LGBT members in uniform stand ready to work with the President, Congress, and the Pentagon to make this vision a reality.”
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Robinson will deliver State of LGBT Military Service Address at Mar 9 Dinner
OutServe-SLDN National Dinner Set for March 9 in Washington, DC
Robinson will deliver first “State of LGBT Military Service” address before crowd of LGBT service members, veterans, family members, and allies
(WASHINGTON DC) The 2013 OutServe-SLDN National Dinner will take place at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC on Saturday, March 9, 2013. The organization’s Executive Director, Army veteran Allyson Robinson, will deliver her first “State of LGBT Military Service” address to set the stage for an evening expected to draw a thousand service members, veterans, families, and allies.
“The repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was not the end of our fight for full equality in the military; it was just the beginning. We have a lot of work ahead of us: overturning the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), winning nondiscrimination protections for LGBT service members, and eliminating barriers to service so that all qualified Americans who wish to wear the uniform can do so with honor and pride. The great accomplishments of the first 100 days since our merger have proven we really are stronger together. To achieve our goals and represent LGBT service members, veterans, and their families in the way their sacrifice deserves, we will need to be stronger still,” said Robinson today, sounding themes she is expected to emphasize in her address.
The March 9 dinner is the first national event for OutServe-SLDN, formed last year by the combination of OutServe and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. In addition to Robinson’s address, the event will spotlight three finalists for OutServe Chapter of the Year and will culminate with an announcement of this year’s award winner. Currently, OutServe-SLDN boasts more than 55 chapters and 6000 members worldwide and represents an estimated 67,000 LGBT military personnel serving today.
The evening will also include a tribute to Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard, who passed away on Sunday following a battle with cancer.
Among the special guests scheduled to appear are former Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA); reality television stars and winners of CBS’s The Amazing Race, Josh Kilmer-Purcell and his partner Brent Ridge (The Fabulous Beekman Boys); Washington Post opinion writer and MSNBC contributor Jonathan Capehart; and the first same-sex couple to wed in the West Point Cadet Chapel, Sue Fulton and Penelope Gnesin. Additional special guests will be announced soon.
Tickets are available at www.outserve-sldn.org/2013dinner.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Robinson will deliver first “State of LGBT Military Service” address before crowd of LGBT service members, veterans, family members, and allies
(WASHINGTON DC) The 2013 OutServe-SLDN National Dinner will take place at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC on Saturday, March 9, 2013. The organization’s Executive Director, Army veteran Allyson Robinson, will deliver her first “State of LGBT Military Service” address to set the stage for an evening expected to draw a thousand service members, veterans, families, and allies.
“The repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was not the end of our fight for full equality in the military; it was just the beginning. We have a lot of work ahead of us: overturning the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), winning nondiscrimination protections for LGBT service members, and eliminating barriers to service so that all qualified Americans who wish to wear the uniform can do so with honor and pride. The great accomplishments of the first 100 days since our merger have proven we really are stronger together. To achieve our goals and represent LGBT service members, veterans, and their families in the way their sacrifice deserves, we will need to be stronger still,” said Robinson today, sounding themes she is expected to emphasize in her address.
The March 9 dinner is the first national event for OutServe-SLDN, formed last year by the combination of OutServe and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. In addition to Robinson’s address, the event will spotlight three finalists for OutServe Chapter of the Year and will culminate with an announcement of this year’s award winner. Currently, OutServe-SLDN boasts more than 55 chapters and 6000 members worldwide and represents an estimated 67,000 LGBT military personnel serving today.
The evening will also include a tribute to Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard, who passed away on Sunday following a battle with cancer.
Among the special guests scheduled to appear are former Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA); reality television stars and winners of CBS’s The Amazing Race, Josh Kilmer-Purcell and his partner Brent Ridge (The Fabulous Beekman Boys); Washington Post opinion writer and MSNBC contributor Jonathan Capehart; and the first same-sex couple to wed in the West Point Cadet Chapel, Sue Fulton and Penelope Gnesin. Additional special guests will be announced soon.
Tickets are available at www.outserve-sldn.org/2013dinner.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Panetta Extends Benefits to Same-Sex Military Families
OutServe-SLDN Praises Pentagon for Extension of Benefits, Calls on Supreme Court to Finish the Job
Robinson: Panetta action moves nation closer to President’s call for full equality
(Washington, DC) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson today praised outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta for his decision to extend to nearly the full extent permitted under current law the benefits available to gay and lesbian service members and their families. Though Panetta’s announcement did not include a number of important items that could have been granted - including burial rights at national cemeteries and some overseas travel for spouses, which remain under consideration - Robinson called the package “substantive” and acknowledged that the Pentagon has done almost as much as it can with the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) still on the books.
“Secretary Panetta’s decision today answers the call President Obama issued in his inaugural address to complete our nation's journey toward equality, acknowledging the equal service and equal sacrifice of our gay and lesbian service members and their families. We thank him for getting us a few steps closer to full equality - steps that will substantively improve the quality of life of gay and lesbian military families,” said Robinson.
OutServe-SLDN has called on the Department of Defense to issue these benefits for more than two years. In recent weeks, the organization has increased pressure on the Pentagon by calling on Secretary Panetta's presumptive successor, former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, to commit to offering the full slate of benefits available under DOMA upon taking office. Senator Hagel did so in a letter to Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) last month and reiterated his commitment during confirmation testimony.
The package of recognition, support, and benefits - which includes the issuance of military identification cards, access to family support initiatives, and joint duty assignments - does not address the larger issues of health care, housing, and survivors’ benefits restricted by DOMA and other federal statutes. The Supreme Court is set to consider DOMA next month, and is expected to issue a ruling later this year.
“As encouraging as this step is for our military families, the passing yesterday of U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan and the needs of her family - needs in danger of going largely unmet because of the Defense of Marriage Act - reminds us of how far we still are from true equality.” said Robinson.
Morgan passed away on Sunday from breast cancer after a two-year battle with the disease.She came out publicly on MSNBC on September 20, 2011, the day of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal, and became a nationally recognized advocate against the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bars her wife, Karen, from receiving military, Social Security and other benefits to help her care for their five-year-old daughter Casey Elena. The Morgans are plaintiffs in a lawsuitbrought by SLDN in October 2011 challenging DOMA and other federal statutes that prevent the military from providing equal recognition and support to same-sex military spouses. They currently do not receive the same protections as their straight, married peers, and Karen is not entitled to survivor's benefits in the wake of CW2 Morgan's death.
“In light of Charlie Morgan's untimely passing and the Pentagon's long-awaited move toward equal treatment, the harm DOMA inflicts on gay and lesbian service members and their families, and on the strength of our military, could not be clearer. I hope our Supreme Court Justices are watching as these events unfold, and that they see that striking down DOMA is the only way this unjust and untenable situation can be rectified. The forces that defend 'liberty and justice for all' must be freed to embody that principle as well, and our nation must be allowed to offer our LGBT troops and their families the respect and support that their sacrifice is due," said Robinson.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Robinson: Panetta action moves nation closer to President’s call for full equality
(Washington, DC) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson today praised outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta for his decision to extend to nearly the full extent permitted under current law the benefits available to gay and lesbian service members and their families. Though Panetta’s announcement did not include a number of important items that could have been granted - including burial rights at national cemeteries and some overseas travel for spouses, which remain under consideration - Robinson called the package “substantive” and acknowledged that the Pentagon has done almost as much as it can with the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) still on the books.
“Secretary Panetta’s decision today answers the call President Obama issued in his inaugural address to complete our nation's journey toward equality, acknowledging the equal service and equal sacrifice of our gay and lesbian service members and their families. We thank him for getting us a few steps closer to full equality - steps that will substantively improve the quality of life of gay and lesbian military families,” said Robinson.
OutServe-SLDN has called on the Department of Defense to issue these benefits for more than two years. In recent weeks, the organization has increased pressure on the Pentagon by calling on Secretary Panetta's presumptive successor, former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, to commit to offering the full slate of benefits available under DOMA upon taking office. Senator Hagel did so in a letter to Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) last month and reiterated his commitment during confirmation testimony.
The package of recognition, support, and benefits - which includes the issuance of military identification cards, access to family support initiatives, and joint duty assignments - does not address the larger issues of health care, housing, and survivors’ benefits restricted by DOMA and other federal statutes. The Supreme Court is set to consider DOMA next month, and is expected to issue a ruling later this year.
“As encouraging as this step is for our military families, the passing yesterday of U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan and the needs of her family - needs in danger of going largely unmet because of the Defense of Marriage Act - reminds us of how far we still are from true equality.” said Robinson.
Morgan passed away on Sunday from breast cancer after a two-year battle with the disease.She came out publicly on MSNBC on September 20, 2011, the day of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal, and became a nationally recognized advocate against the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bars her wife, Karen, from receiving military, Social Security and other benefits to help her care for their five-year-old daughter Casey Elena. The Morgans are plaintiffs in a lawsuitbrought by SLDN in October 2011 challenging DOMA and other federal statutes that prevent the military from providing equal recognition and support to same-sex military spouses. They currently do not receive the same protections as their straight, married peers, and Karen is not entitled to survivor's benefits in the wake of CW2 Morgan's death.
“In light of Charlie Morgan's untimely passing and the Pentagon's long-awaited move toward equal treatment, the harm DOMA inflicts on gay and lesbian service members and their families, and on the strength of our military, could not be clearer. I hope our Supreme Court Justices are watching as these events unfold, and that they see that striking down DOMA is the only way this unjust and untenable situation can be rectified. The forces that defend 'liberty and justice for all' must be freed to embody that principle as well, and our nation must be allowed to offer our LGBT troops and their families the respect and support that their sacrifice is due," said Robinson.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Soldier Fighting for Equality Succumbs to Cancer
Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan, Fighter for LGBT Military Equality, Succumbs to Cancer
Robinson: Fight for full LGBT equality in nation forever changed by Morgan's life and work
(Washington, DC) OutServe-SLDN today, in a statement from Executive Director Allyson Robinson, announced the passing of Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard.
"Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan, a courageous fighter for our country, for her family, and for the equality of all who wear the uniform of our nation, passed away early this morning. On behalf of her wife Karen and daughter Casey Elena, we thank all those who have supported Charlie so fervently since she proudly came out on national television on the day 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' was repealed, and who have stayed by her side through her brave fight with cancer. She made an indelible mark on everyone she met with her integrity, her positive outlook, and her unflinching commitment to righting the wrongs visited upon gay and lesbian military families. The fight for full LGBT equality in this country is forever changed because Charlie Morgan took up the cause," said Robinson.
Morgan came out on MSNBC on the September 20, 2011, the day of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal, and became a nationally recognized advocate against the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bars her wife, Karen, from receiving military, Social Security and other benefits to help her care for their five-year-old daughter Casey Elena. The Morgans are plaintiffs in a lawsuit brought by SLDN in October 2011 challenging DOMA and other federal statutes that prevent the military from providing equal recognition and support to same-sex military spouses. Currently, the Morgans do not receive the same protections as their straight, married peers, and Karen is not entitled to survivor's benefits following CW2 Morgan's death.
CW2 Morgan also drew national support in February 2012 when she visited Capitol Hill to meet with the staff of Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) to tell her personal story and share how the Speaker's ongoing legal defense of DOMA via the House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) harms her family. There, she detailed her battle with incurable stage-four breast cancer and asked the Speaker to drop his legal defense of DOMA. Boehner ignored her pleas and continues to defend the discriminatory law in court.
"In 2008, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy and several rounds of chemotherapy to save my life. In 2010 - declared cancer free by my oncologist - I was deployed to Kuwait for one year in support of Operation New Dawn. I faithfully fulfilled my duty and returned home to my wife and our then four-year old daughter. But last September, we learned the awful truth that my cancer has returned. It is metastatic and incurable. We don't know how long I have," CW2 Morgan said at the time.
Last August, the Morgans traveled to Minneapolis to testify before Democratic Party's platform committee in support of the freedom to marry, as a follow up to a video released by OutServe-SLDN and Freedom to Marry detailing their courageous fight.
OutServe-SLDN Communications Director Zeke Stokes will serve as spokesperson for the Morgan Family. All inquiries should be directed to him at 202-621-5406 or zeke@outserve-sldn.org, as the family has requested privacy during this difficult time.
Funeral arrangements are pending. An online site has been established where friends, family, and supporters may leave messages and share their memories of CW2 Morgan. To visit the page "Remembering Charlie Morgan," click here.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Robinson: Fight for full LGBT equality in nation forever changed by Morgan's life and work
(Washington, DC) OutServe-SLDN today, in a statement from Executive Director Allyson Robinson, announced the passing of Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard.
"Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan, a courageous fighter for our country, for her family, and for the equality of all who wear the uniform of our nation, passed away early this morning. On behalf of her wife Karen and daughter Casey Elena, we thank all those who have supported Charlie so fervently since she proudly came out on national television on the day 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' was repealed, and who have stayed by her side through her brave fight with cancer. She made an indelible mark on everyone she met with her integrity, her positive outlook, and her unflinching commitment to righting the wrongs visited upon gay and lesbian military families. The fight for full LGBT equality in this country is forever changed because Charlie Morgan took up the cause," said Robinson.
Morgan came out on MSNBC on the September 20, 2011, the day of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal, and became a nationally recognized advocate against the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bars her wife, Karen, from receiving military, Social Security and other benefits to help her care for their five-year-old daughter Casey Elena. The Morgans are plaintiffs in a lawsuit brought by SLDN in October 2011 challenging DOMA and other federal statutes that prevent the military from providing equal recognition and support to same-sex military spouses. Currently, the Morgans do not receive the same protections as their straight, married peers, and Karen is not entitled to survivor's benefits following CW2 Morgan's death.
CW2 Morgan also drew national support in February 2012 when she visited Capitol Hill to meet with the staff of Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) to tell her personal story and share how the Speaker's ongoing legal defense of DOMA via the House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) harms her family. There, she detailed her battle with incurable stage-four breast cancer and asked the Speaker to drop his legal defense of DOMA. Boehner ignored her pleas and continues to defend the discriminatory law in court.
"In 2008, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy and several rounds of chemotherapy to save my life. In 2010 - declared cancer free by my oncologist - I was deployed to Kuwait for one year in support of Operation New Dawn. I faithfully fulfilled my duty and returned home to my wife and our then four-year old daughter. But last September, we learned the awful truth that my cancer has returned. It is metastatic and incurable. We don't know how long I have," CW2 Morgan said at the time.
Last August, the Morgans traveled to Minneapolis to testify before Democratic Party's platform committee in support of the freedom to marry, as a follow up to a video released by OutServe-SLDN and Freedom to Marry detailing their courageous fight.
OutServe-SLDN Communications Director Zeke Stokes will serve as spokesperson for the Morgan Family. All inquiries should be directed to him at 202-621-5406 or zeke@outserve-sldn.org, as the family has requested privacy during this difficult time.
Funeral arrangements are pending. An online site has been established where friends, family, and supporters may leave messages and share their memories of CW2 Morgan. To visit the page "Remembering Charlie Morgan," click here.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Panetta set to extend same-sex benefits
Panetta Expected to Announce Benefits Extension for Gay and Lesbian Military Families
Robinson: “Anything less than the full extent of benefits available under current law would be an anticlimactic end to an otherwise exemplary record on civil rights”
(WASHINGTON, DC) Outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is expected this week to announce the long-delayed extension of support and benefits for gay and lesbian military families, according to reports. Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson said today that the organization hopes Panetta will take full advantage of this final opportunity to act before leaving office.
“Secretary Panetta established a strong civil rights record long before taking office at the Pentagon, so his unwillingness to extend support and recognition to gay and lesbian service members and their families where it is clearly within his authority to do so has baffled many of us. We are hopeful that he will not take half-measures here; for him to grant anything less than the full extent of benefits available under current law would be an anticlimactic end to an otherwise exemplary record on civil rights,” said Robinson.
OutServe-SLDN, previously known as Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, has worked with Panetta and his deputies over the two years since the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to get them to offer married same-sex couples those benefits that may be conferred even while the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is the law. Meanwhile, Panetta’s expected successor, former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, has committed to move quickly to extend these benefits if confirmed.
“Senator Hagel made history with his firm and unequivocal commitment of support to LGBT service members and their families, including his promise if confirmed to act expeditiously to grant all benefits available under current law. For Secretary Panetta to do anything less at this point would be to leave the job half done, leaving in place a self-imposed two-tier system that willingly denies to some service members benefits they have earned and treats them, their families, and their sacrifice as less than worthy," said Robinson.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Robinson: “Anything less than the full extent of benefits available under current law would be an anticlimactic end to an otherwise exemplary record on civil rights”
(WASHINGTON, DC) Outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is expected this week to announce the long-delayed extension of support and benefits for gay and lesbian military families, according to reports. Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson said today that the organization hopes Panetta will take full advantage of this final opportunity to act before leaving office.
“Secretary Panetta established a strong civil rights record long before taking office at the Pentagon, so his unwillingness to extend support and recognition to gay and lesbian service members and their families where it is clearly within his authority to do so has baffled many of us. We are hopeful that he will not take half-measures here; for him to grant anything less than the full extent of benefits available under current law would be an anticlimactic end to an otherwise exemplary record on civil rights,” said Robinson.
OutServe-SLDN, previously known as Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, has worked with Panetta and his deputies over the two years since the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to get them to offer married same-sex couples those benefits that may be conferred even while the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is the law. Meanwhile, Panetta’s expected successor, former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, has committed to move quickly to extend these benefits if confirmed.
“Senator Hagel made history with his firm and unequivocal commitment of support to LGBT service members and their families, including his promise if confirmed to act expeditiously to grant all benefits available under current law. For Secretary Panetta to do anything less at this point would be to leave the job half done, leaving in place a self-imposed two-tier system that willingly denies to some service members benefits they have earned and treats them, their families, and their sacrifice as less than worthy," said Robinson.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Hagel Renews Commitment to Action on Recognition, Benefits, and Support for Gay and Lesbian Service Members in Confirmation Hearing Testimony
(Washington, DC) Consistent with his recent public statements, former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel reiterated his commitment to do everything possible under current law to provide gay and lesbian service members and their families with equal benefits and support today during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill. Hagel said he would move quickly upon confirmation to create greater equity for gay and lesbian service members and their families should he become Secretary of Defense.
“After two years of equivocation and delay by Pentagon leadership, it is gratifying to see Senator Hagel show the kind of clear, unambiguous support for our service members and their families we saw today. It is an historic day when issues critical to gay and lesbian service members and their families take center stage in a confirmation hearing for Secretary of Defense,” said Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.
OutServe-SLDN has pressed the Pentagon to take action on benefits equity for over two years. Last October, with no public explanation, the service chiefs shelved a plan to extend benefits not tied to the federal definition of marriage to gay and lesbian service members. In recent weeks, Robinson called on current Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to use his authority in the final days of his tenure to extend available benefits to all military families. OutServe-SLDN has identified a number of benefits that could be offered immediately without violating the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. For a full list of these benefits, click here.
Likewise, Hagel affirmed his support for gay and lesbian service members when questioned by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal supporter, Senator Mark Udall (D-CO), about so-called "conscience protections" passed in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this year. Hagel indicated he would ensure that all service members were granted the same "rights and opportunities" and that no service members would be disallowed from using military facilities for private religious ceremonies.
Senator Hagel did not address in his testimony the lack of critical nondiscrimination and equal opportunity protections for LGBT service members.
"It's time for our nation's military leaders to send a clear message that relegating LGBT service members to second-class status is no longer acceptable," said Robinson. "If Senator Hagel is confirmed, he must use his authority to ban discrimination and guarantee equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender members of the military."
Currently, unlike other minority groups, LGBT service members are not protected with an avenue of recourse outside their chain of command should they experience harassment or discrimination. Such protections are common elsewhere in the federal government and throughout the private sector, with 88 percent of Fortune 500 companies protecting employees from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
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ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
“After two years of equivocation and delay by Pentagon leadership, it is gratifying to see Senator Hagel show the kind of clear, unambiguous support for our service members and their families we saw today. It is an historic day when issues critical to gay and lesbian service members and their families take center stage in a confirmation hearing for Secretary of Defense,” said Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.
OutServe-SLDN has pressed the Pentagon to take action on benefits equity for over two years. Last October, with no public explanation, the service chiefs shelved a plan to extend benefits not tied to the federal definition of marriage to gay and lesbian service members. In recent weeks, Robinson called on current Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to use his authority in the final days of his tenure to extend available benefits to all military families. OutServe-SLDN has identified a number of benefits that could be offered immediately without violating the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. For a full list of these benefits, click here.
Likewise, Hagel affirmed his support for gay and lesbian service members when questioned by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal supporter, Senator Mark Udall (D-CO), about so-called "conscience protections" passed in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) this year. Hagel indicated he would ensure that all service members were granted the same "rights and opportunities" and that no service members would be disallowed from using military facilities for private religious ceremonies.
Senator Hagel did not address in his testimony the lack of critical nondiscrimination and equal opportunity protections for LGBT service members.
"It's time for our nation's military leaders to send a clear message that relegating LGBT service members to second-class status is no longer acceptable," said Robinson. "If Senator Hagel is confirmed, he must use his authority to ban discrimination and guarantee equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender members of the military."
Currently, unlike other minority groups, LGBT service members are not protected with an avenue of recourse outside their chain of command should they experience harassment or discrimination. Such protections are common elsewhere in the federal government and throughout the private sector, with 88 percent of Fortune 500 companies protecting employees from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
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ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
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