C-Bus of Love Headed to Washington DC in June
OutServe-SLDN DOMA plaintiffs set to lead road trip for equality that will bring same-sex couples to the nation’s capital to be married in front of the U.S. Supreme Court
(Columbus, OH) Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson announced today that the organization has become an official sponsor of a bus trip that will bring same-sex couples from across the country to Washington, DC, in June to be married in a jurisdiction where their marriages are legal and recognized. Twenty-five couples - from the states of Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia - will ride the “C-Bus of Love,” traveling from Columbus, OH to our Nation’s capital, where they be making their lifelong commitments in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. The trip is organized by two plaintiffs in OutServe-SLDN’s landmark court challenge to the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, Army Major Stephen Snyder-Hill and his husband, Joshua Snyder-Hill.
“Stephen and I had the great privilege of being married in Washington, DC two years ago after the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Repeal Act was passed by the Congress, and we wanted to be able to give this unique gift to other committed and loving couples from states where the freedom to marry is not yet recognized. We are especially thrilled that we will be able to do it in front of the Supreme Court during the same month in which the Court may very well strike down DOMA once and for all,” said Joshua Snyder-Hill.
The trip, which will begin on Friday, June 21 in Columbus, is fully funded through private donations and will bring the couples to Washington, DC to be married before returning them to Columbus to celebrate that city’s pride weekend. The couples participating represent a combined 189 years of commitment to one another, including one couple that has been together more than 31 years. They range in age from 18 to 61 years old.
“This is a remarkable act of love and commitment on the part of these couples that illustrates just how ridiculous this cobbled-together, two-tiered system of marriage that has developed in our country really is. No committed and loving couple should have to go to these lengths in order to be married to one another, and OutServe-SLDN is proud to stand with them - and indeed ride alongside them - on this journey to full equality,” said OutServe-SLDN’s Robinson.
For more information on the trip, including bios of the participating couples, click here. The wedding of the couples will be streamed live on June 21, 2013 at this page:http://www.cbusoflove.com/
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Friday, May 10, 2013
New video features lesbian couple harmed by DOMA
Military Campaign Features Married Lesbian Couple Harmed by DOMA
(New York City) Today Freedom to Marry and OutServe-SLDN released the latest in its“Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry” video series featuring Major Shannon McLaughlin and her wife, Casey McLaughlin, spotlighting the harms of federal marriage discrimination to their family. Although they are legally married in the State of Massachusetts, the McLaughlins are not treated the same as other military couples because of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denies legally married same-sex couples more than 1,100 federal protections automatically granted to opposite-sex couples.
“Even as we end marriage discrimination in state after state, married gay and lesbian service members risking their lives for our country are still being denied protections for their families because of federal marriage discrimination,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry. “The sacrifices that soldiers like Major Shannon McLaughlin and their families make are not matched by equal respect, and equal treatment, from the government. It’s time to overturn the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and pass the Respect for Marriage Act to end federal marriage discrimination.”
The full video may be viewed here. Major Shannon McLaughlin and her wife Casey were first introduced by Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry in a previous video in the series several months ago, which can be viewed here.
“As we prepare to honor mothers across the country this weekend, let us not forget that many are not being treated equally in the eyes of the law. It’s time to end DOMA and forever relinquish this kind of discrimination to the dustbin of history. We cannot have a strong and effective military and maintain two classes of service members, and as long as DOMA is on the books, that’s exactly what we have,” said Army veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.
After leaving her job to take care of their twins, Grace and Grant, Casey was excluded from the health care plan that the rest of the family uses.
“DOMA presented itself as a huge problem once I went on maternity leave and, once the children were born, decided to stay at home,” she explains. She is not welcome to military functions or on base as a military spouse. “I am as much a military wife as anybody else … I want to be recognized and I want our kids to understand that they are the same as well,” Casey says in the video
Major Shannon McLaughlin agrees that for her, “a post-DOMA world” would be one where her wife is “respected, and she’s not singled out as not being as good as every other military wife or husband that’s there.”
ABOUT FREEDOM TO MARRY: Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
(New York City) Today Freedom to Marry and OutServe-SLDN released the latest in its“Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry” video series featuring Major Shannon McLaughlin and her wife, Casey McLaughlin, spotlighting the harms of federal marriage discrimination to their family. Although they are legally married in the State of Massachusetts, the McLaughlins are not treated the same as other military couples because of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denies legally married same-sex couples more than 1,100 federal protections automatically granted to opposite-sex couples.
“Even as we end marriage discrimination in state after state, married gay and lesbian service members risking their lives for our country are still being denied protections for their families because of federal marriage discrimination,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry. “The sacrifices that soldiers like Major Shannon McLaughlin and their families make are not matched by equal respect, and equal treatment, from the government. It’s time to overturn the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and pass the Respect for Marriage Act to end federal marriage discrimination.”
The full video may be viewed here. Major Shannon McLaughlin and her wife Casey were first introduced by Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry in a previous video in the series several months ago, which can be viewed here.
“As we prepare to honor mothers across the country this weekend, let us not forget that many are not being treated equally in the eyes of the law. It’s time to end DOMA and forever relinquish this kind of discrimination to the dustbin of history. We cannot have a strong and effective military and maintain two classes of service members, and as long as DOMA is on the books, that’s exactly what we have,” said Army veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.
After leaving her job to take care of their twins, Grace and Grant, Casey was excluded from the health care plan that the rest of the family uses.
“DOMA presented itself as a huge problem once I went on maternity leave and, once the children were born, decided to stay at home,” she explains. She is not welcome to military functions or on base as a military spouse. “I am as much a military wife as anybody else … I want to be recognized and I want our kids to understand that they are the same as well,” Casey says in the video
Major Shannon McLaughlin agrees that for her, “a post-DOMA world” would be one where her wife is “respected, and she’s not singled out as not being as good as every other military wife or husband that’s there.”
ABOUT FREEDOM TO MARRY: Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
My preferred alternative to the standard issued army boot...The Nike Special Field Boot
I usually use this blog for guest bloggers, but I figured this is a special post that pertains to the army and yet not quite fit for my daily journal. If you're in the army or have ever been in the army, you probably know that the standard boot issued by the army is not too comfortable. My drill sergeants didn't care too much about hearing complaints about the boots and people's sore feet. We were told we just need to wear them in...and drink water. We weren't even allowed to purchase inserts of any kind at the shoppette during our limited visits. It seemed no matter how much we tried to "wear them in" it didn't matter.
I had a little reprieve when I went to AIT, we were allowed to purchase anything we wanted. So my first stop was the PX where I found a pair of Dr. Scholl's Gel Inserts and immediately inserted them into my boots. The difference was immediate and very awesome! It was like switching from a black and white analog TV to a flat panel HD set...well maybe not that great. Perhaps more like going from sleeping on a concrete floor to at least laying down on a cot. My feet thanked me and I was able to make it through AIT much easier.
After graduating AIT, I wanted to reward myself and actually purchase Nike's Army boots (The Nike SFB - Special Field Boot). I searched around all the stores and was unable to find them anywhere. I ended up buying the Converse boot after trying them on at a local army supply store near Ft. Lewis while on leave. I chose the Converse boot because I was able to try it on and it felt great. It was a very heavy boot, but it was indeed very comfortable. The boots were also huge, but I didn't really care. I was going from my old standard boots with the gel insert, to an actual comfortable pair of boots. I upgraded from sleeping on my cot to an actual bed and daily life for my feet were good.
I used the Converse boots for a year, and still actually use them on occasion depending on the situation. After talking with folks that purchased the Nike SFB, My NCOIC said her pair of Nike SFB were the best boots she's ever had...and she's been in the army quite a while. I decided to give them a try. My biggest worry was ordering via the internet and having them not fit correctly. I ended up just ordering my normal shoe size and waited. The day they finally arrived in the mail I was as excited as a little boy on Christmas morning. I opened the box and was instantly shocked by how light they were. After lacing them up I put them on and my feet were in heaven. It was like I was just wearing a normal pair of shoes. They were light, comfortable and easy to clean as well.
If you're looking for an awesome pair of boots to upgrade to...then I say give them a try. You can shop around online, but I know US Patriot has free shipping.
I had a little reprieve when I went to AIT, we were allowed to purchase anything we wanted. So my first stop was the PX where I found a pair of Dr. Scholl's Gel Inserts and immediately inserted them into my boots. The difference was immediate and very awesome! It was like switching from a black and white analog TV to a flat panel HD set...well maybe not that great. Perhaps more like going from sleeping on a concrete floor to at least laying down on a cot. My feet thanked me and I was able to make it through AIT much easier.
After graduating AIT, I wanted to reward myself and actually purchase Nike's Army boots (The Nike SFB - Special Field Boot). I searched around all the stores and was unable to find them anywhere. I ended up buying the Converse boot after trying them on at a local army supply store near Ft. Lewis while on leave. I chose the Converse boot because I was able to try it on and it felt great. It was a very heavy boot, but it was indeed very comfortable. The boots were also huge, but I didn't really care. I was going from my old standard boots with the gel insert, to an actual comfortable pair of boots. I upgraded from sleeping on my cot to an actual bed and daily life for my feet were good.
I used the Converse boots for a year, and still actually use them on occasion depending on the situation. After talking with folks that purchased the Nike SFB, My NCOIC said her pair of Nike SFB were the best boots she's ever had...and she's been in the army quite a while. I decided to give them a try. My biggest worry was ordering via the internet and having them not fit correctly. I ended up just ordering my normal shoe size and waited. The day they finally arrived in the mail I was as excited as a little boy on Christmas morning. I opened the box and was instantly shocked by how light they were. After lacing them up I put them on and my feet were in heaven. It was like I was just wearing a normal pair of shoes. They were light, comfortable and easy to clean as well.
If you're looking for an awesome pair of boots to upgrade to...then I say give them a try. You can shop around online, but I know US Patriot has free shipping.
A photo of the Nike SFB from the Nike Store:
Monday, April 29, 2013
OS-SLDN Calls on Pentagon to Drop Anti-Gay Pastor
OutServe-SLDN Calls on Pentagon to Drop Anti-Gay Pastor from Day of Prayer
Divisive Greg Laurie Set to Headline Department of Defense Event
(WASHINGTON, DC) The Department of Defense is set to welcome Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Ministries, as the headline speaker for its Day of Prayer on May 2, 2013. Today, Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson called on the Pentagon to remove the pastor from the agenda, citing his blatantly anti-LGBT message.
"Mr. Laurie represents the worst our nation's communities of faith have to offer when it comes to fairness, justice, and equality. His hurtful, out-of-the-mainstream rhetoric stands at direct odds with the mission the Commander-in-Chief and the Secretary of Defense have laid out: that this nation's military will be an institution that respects the dignity and honors the service of our gay and lesbian service members, veterans, and their families," said Robinson, an ordained Baptist minister. “On behalf of our 6,000 members and their families, representing over 67,000 LGBT members of the armed forces, we call upon the Department of Defense to rescind their invitation to Pastor Laurie and invite in his place a faith leader who can speak with integrity and respect to the needs and concerns of all of our nation’s courageous service members,” she said.
Among Laurie's past comments are the following, as reported on October 31, 2012 by The Christian Post:
"God has established the order of the family. It's been said a family can survive without a nation, but a nation cannot survive without the family. God set it up – bringing a man and a woman together in marriage and then of course ultimately with children and grandchildren. That's his order. What does he start with? Honor your father and mother. Notice it says honor your father and mother. Not honor your father and father, or honor your mother and mother, or honor your mother and her live-in lover or her partner. We tamper with God's order at our own peril."
###
About OutServe-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Divisive Greg Laurie Set to Headline Department of Defense Event
(WASHINGTON, DC) The Department of Defense is set to welcome Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Ministries, as the headline speaker for its Day of Prayer on May 2, 2013. Today, Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson called on the Pentagon to remove the pastor from the agenda, citing his blatantly anti-LGBT message.
"Mr. Laurie represents the worst our nation's communities of faith have to offer when it comes to fairness, justice, and equality. His hurtful, out-of-the-mainstream rhetoric stands at direct odds with the mission the Commander-in-Chief and the Secretary of Defense have laid out: that this nation's military will be an institution that respects the dignity and honors the service of our gay and lesbian service members, veterans, and their families," said Robinson, an ordained Baptist minister. “On behalf of our 6,000 members and their families, representing over 67,000 LGBT members of the armed forces, we call upon the Department of Defense to rescind their invitation to Pastor Laurie and invite in his place a faith leader who can speak with integrity and respect to the needs and concerns of all of our nation’s courageous service members,” she said.
Among Laurie's past comments are the following, as reported on October 31, 2012 by The Christian Post:
"God has established the order of the family. It's been said a family can survive without a nation, but a nation cannot survive without the family. God set it up – bringing a man and a woman together in marriage and then of course ultimately with children and grandchildren. That's his order. What does he start with? Honor your father and mother. Notice it says honor your father and mother. Not honor your father and father, or honor your mother and mother, or honor your mother and her live-in lover or her partner. We tamper with God's order at our own peril."
###
About OutServe-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
OutServe-SLDN Hackathon Set for May 10 in DC
OutServe-SLDN Set to Host First-of-Its-Kind Hackathon
Daylong event will explore how the organization can better serve its member and supporters; hackers will present ideas to board members and donors at early evening reception
(Washington, DC) OutServe-SLDN, the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel, veterans, families, and their supporters, today announced that it will hold its first hackathon in Washington, DC, on Friday, May 10, 2013. The event is designed to be an opportunity to connect service members, veterans, computer programmers, and public relations professionals to collaborate on ways to grow the LGBT military equality movement and how OutServe-SLDN can better serve its members and supporters.
The ideas developed will be presented at a reception following the hackathon to members of the OutServe-SLDN Board of Directors, Military Advisory Council, and key donors for consideration. The Board of Directors will meet the following day to consider incorporating ideas into the organization's strategic plan for the future.
“Nonprofits, like any other businesses, only survive and thrive on the quality of the ideas they are generating and the problems they are solving. This kind of innovative input and planning represents exactly the approach we should be taking to advance our mission and involve the best and brightest in our strategic vision setting. This kind of activity can speed up innovation by 5000 percent,” said OutServe-SLDN Board of Directors Co-Chair Josh Seefried, who co-founded OutServe via Facebook and was part of a team that recently won the national Startup Bus competition. For more on that competition, click here.
Seefried and board co-chair, April Heinze, will lead the board’s involvement in the hackathon, and the board of directors will meet on Saturday in Washington, DC to incorporate the ideas developed and presented into the organization’s strategic plan for the future.
“We know that the ways we’ve won the battles of the past will not be the ways we win and sustain equality moving forward. I’m excited about this opportunity to hear from a diverse group of individuals with varied backgrounds about new ideas for moving OutServe-SLDN forward, growing our membership and support-base, and strengthening the movement to achieve full LGBT military equality,” said Army veteran and OutServe Executive Director Allyson Robinson. “This represents a unique, innovative, and relevant approach to leading in the LGBT movement.”
The Hackathon will take place from Noon until 5:30 p.m. at the Washington DC office of Blue State Digital, located at 406 7th Street, NW. Reception location to be announced at a later date. For more information or to RSVP for the Hackathon and/or the reception afterwards, click here.
Sponsors include Blue State Digital, Wells Consulting, Social Driver, and Adam Shapiro Public Relations.
The hashtag for the event will be #OutServeHACK.
About OutServe-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Daylong event will explore how the organization can better serve its member and supporters; hackers will present ideas to board members and donors at early evening reception
(Washington, DC) OutServe-SLDN, the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel, veterans, families, and their supporters, today announced that it will hold its first hackathon in Washington, DC, on Friday, May 10, 2013. The event is designed to be an opportunity to connect service members, veterans, computer programmers, and public relations professionals to collaborate on ways to grow the LGBT military equality movement and how OutServe-SLDN can better serve its members and supporters.
The ideas developed will be presented at a reception following the hackathon to members of the OutServe-SLDN Board of Directors, Military Advisory Council, and key donors for consideration. The Board of Directors will meet the following day to consider incorporating ideas into the organization's strategic plan for the future.
“Nonprofits, like any other businesses, only survive and thrive on the quality of the ideas they are generating and the problems they are solving. This kind of innovative input and planning represents exactly the approach we should be taking to advance our mission and involve the best and brightest in our strategic vision setting. This kind of activity can speed up innovation by 5000 percent,” said OutServe-SLDN Board of Directors Co-Chair Josh Seefried, who co-founded OutServe via Facebook and was part of a team that recently won the national Startup Bus competition. For more on that competition, click here.
Seefried and board co-chair, April Heinze, will lead the board’s involvement in the hackathon, and the board of directors will meet on Saturday in Washington, DC to incorporate the ideas developed and presented into the organization’s strategic plan for the future.
“We know that the ways we’ve won the battles of the past will not be the ways we win and sustain equality moving forward. I’m excited about this opportunity to hear from a diverse group of individuals with varied backgrounds about new ideas for moving OutServe-SLDN forward, growing our membership and support-base, and strengthening the movement to achieve full LGBT military equality,” said Army veteran and OutServe Executive Director Allyson Robinson. “This represents a unique, innovative, and relevant approach to leading in the LGBT movement.”
The Hackathon will take place from Noon until 5:30 p.m. at the Washington DC office of Blue State Digital, located at 406 7th Street, NW. Reception location to be announced at a later date. For more information or to RSVP for the Hackathon and/or the reception afterwards, click here.
Sponsors include Blue State Digital, Wells Consulting, Social Driver, and Adam Shapiro Public Relations.
The hashtag for the event will be #OutServeHACK.
About OutServe-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Military Families Challenging DOMA to be Honored at Logo TV Awards
Military Families Challenging DOMA Set to be Honored at Logo TV’s NewNowNext Awards
OutServe-SLDN Nominated for “Most Innovative Charity” Award at Saturday’s Ceremony in Los Angeles
(Los Angeles, CA) OutServe-SLDN and Logo Television announced today that uniformed service members and veterans will be in the audience to be honored at the cable television network’s NewNowNext Awards ceremony, taking place in Los Angeles, CA, this weekend. The show will air on Logo TV at 10:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 15, 2013.
“It’s an honor to receive this nomination for the work we are doing on behalf of our nation’s LGBT service members, veterans, and their families. It’s a testament to the fact that our work to achieve full equality in our military is not over; indeed, it is just beginning, and we are thrilled to be recognized,” said Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.
Robinson will attend the ceremony along with the following service members and veterans, all of whom are plaintiffs in OutServe-SLDN’s landmark litigation, McLaughlin v. Panetta, challenging the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and other definitions of spouse in federal court
Colonel Stewart Bornhoft, US Army (Retired). COL Stewart Bornhoft served in the U.S. Army from the time of his West Point graduation in 1969 until his retirement in 1995. He completed two tours of duty in Vietnam before serving in Europe for three years and commanding two districts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In his final tour of duty, COL Bornhoft was the Director of Public Works at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, during which time he was called to Oklahoma City by the Commander of the Third Army to be the Secretary of the Army’s Defense Coordinating Officer on-site during the rescue and recovery efforts following the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in April 1995. He is married to Stephen McNabb, a former Navy Lieutenant with eight years of active duty service and his partner of nearly 17 years, and they live in Bonita, CA.
Lieutenant Gary Ross, US Navy & Dan Ross. LT Gary Ross has served in the U.S. Navy since 1995 and is currently assigned as the Combat Systems Officer in U.S.S. Anchorage (LPD 23). As the Combat Systems Officer, Ross is the Department Head responsible for Force Protection, Combat Communications Division, Combat Electronics Division, Combat Guns Division, and Combat Missiles Division. He married his partner of more than 13 years, Dan, in the State of Vermont at 12:01 a.m. on September 20, 2011 as the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” took effect.
Major Steve Snyder-Hill, US Army Reserve & Joshua Snyder-Hill. MAJ Steve Snyder-Hill is an Army reservist with nearly 20 years of service. He is also a veteran of Operation Desert Shield. He is married to Joshua Snyder-Hill, his partner of more than a year, and they reside in Columbus, OH, where CPT Snyder-Hill is the director of the Columbus Public Health WIC Program for Franklin County. MAJ Snyder-Hill drew national interest when he submitted a video via YouTube that was used during the Fox News/Google Republican Presidential Debate in September 2011 to question the candidates about the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
ABOUT LOGO: Logo celebrates one-of-a-kind personalities, unconventional stories and discovering what’s next—all through a mix of original and acquired entertainment that’s smart, provocative and loaded with attitude. Entertaining a social, savvy audience of gay trendsetters, Logo also attracts a straight audience that wants to be ahead of the curve. Launched in 2005, Logo is in over 52 million homes across the United States, and is complemented by a federation of online properties, including LogoTV.com, NewNowNext.com, AfterEllen.com,TheBacklot.com, and DowneLink.com. Logo is part of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), which features a roster of popular and highly targeted brands that include MTV, Comedy Central, VH1 and Spike TV.
OutServe-SLDN Nominated for “Most Innovative Charity” Award at Saturday’s Ceremony in Los Angeles
(Los Angeles, CA) OutServe-SLDN and Logo Television announced today that uniformed service members and veterans will be in the audience to be honored at the cable television network’s NewNowNext Awards ceremony, taking place in Los Angeles, CA, this weekend. The show will air on Logo TV at 10:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 15, 2013.
“It’s an honor to receive this nomination for the work we are doing on behalf of our nation’s LGBT service members, veterans, and their families. It’s a testament to the fact that our work to achieve full equality in our military is not over; indeed, it is just beginning, and we are thrilled to be recognized,” said Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.
Robinson will attend the ceremony along with the following service members and veterans, all of whom are plaintiffs in OutServe-SLDN’s landmark litigation, McLaughlin v. Panetta, challenging the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and other definitions of spouse in federal court
Colonel Stewart Bornhoft, US Army (Retired). COL Stewart Bornhoft served in the U.S. Army from the time of his West Point graduation in 1969 until his retirement in 1995. He completed two tours of duty in Vietnam before serving in Europe for three years and commanding two districts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In his final tour of duty, COL Bornhoft was the Director of Public Works at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, during which time he was called to Oklahoma City by the Commander of the Third Army to be the Secretary of the Army’s Defense Coordinating Officer on-site during the rescue and recovery efforts following the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in April 1995. He is married to Stephen McNabb, a former Navy Lieutenant with eight years of active duty service and his partner of nearly 17 years, and they live in Bonita, CA.
Lieutenant Gary Ross, US Navy & Dan Ross. LT Gary Ross has served in the U.S. Navy since 1995 and is currently assigned as the Combat Systems Officer in U.S.S. Anchorage (LPD 23). As the Combat Systems Officer, Ross is the Department Head responsible for Force Protection, Combat Communications Division, Combat Electronics Division, Combat Guns Division, and Combat Missiles Division. He married his partner of more than 13 years, Dan, in the State of Vermont at 12:01 a.m. on September 20, 2011 as the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” took effect.
Major Steve Snyder-Hill, US Army Reserve & Joshua Snyder-Hill. MAJ Steve Snyder-Hill is an Army reservist with nearly 20 years of service. He is also a veteran of Operation Desert Shield. He is married to Joshua Snyder-Hill, his partner of more than a year, and they reside in Columbus, OH, where CPT Snyder-Hill is the director of the Columbus Public Health WIC Program for Franklin County. MAJ Snyder-Hill drew national interest when he submitted a video via YouTube that was used during the Fox News/Google Republican Presidential Debate in September 2011 to question the candidates about the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
ABOUT LOGO: Logo celebrates one-of-a-kind personalities, unconventional stories and discovering what’s next—all through a mix of original and acquired entertainment that’s smart, provocative and loaded with attitude. Entertaining a social, savvy audience of gay trendsetters, Logo also attracts a straight audience that wants to be ahead of the curve. Launched in 2005, Logo is in over 52 million homes across the United States, and is complemented by a federation of online properties, including LogoTV.com, NewNowNext.com, AfterEllen.com,TheBacklot.com, and DowneLink.com. Logo is part of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), which features a roster of popular and highly targeted brands that include MTV, Comedy Central, VH1 and Spike TV.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Gay Marine Engaged at White House Details DOMA Harm to Family
Gay Marine Captain, Fiancé Featured in "Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry Campaign" Video
(Washington DC/New York City) Today, Freedom to Marry and OutServe-SLDN released the newest video in their joint “Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry” campaign, featuring gay U.S. Marine Corps Captain Matthew Phelps and his soon-to-be husband Ben Schock. Captain Phelps and Schock previously made news when they became the first-ever same-sex couple to get engaged through a marriage proposal at the White House.
“There seems to be a contradiction between serving my country and my country not fully supporting my relationship with Ben,” says Captain Phelps in the video. “Every day, I’m reminded that my marriage to Ben is different from everybody else’s marriage, and it’s just not right.” The full video can be viewed here.
Captain Phelps will marry Schock in May in Seattle, Washington, and he will subsequently be transferred to Japan this summer for a minimum of two years. But because of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Schock will not be allowed to join him on base. Even though they will be legally married, Schock must leave the country every 90 days at his and his husband’s own expense, just to reenter again. The military does not provide the same housing allowance and assistance for married same-sex couples as it does for opposite-sex married couples, which will make it more difficult for Schock to find a job and for them both to support one another financially.
“As Captain Phelps prepares to put his life on the line every day for his country, his government has yet to ensure that his marriage will be given the same respect and dignity that his colleagues receive,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry. “Captain Phelps has made a commitment in life and will be legally married, but his husband will be treated as a stranger in the eyes of the federal government. It’s time to end the discrimination of military families like theirs and repeal DOMA.”
“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.”
ABOUT FREEDOM TO MARRY: Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
(Washington DC/New York City) Today, Freedom to Marry and OutServe-SLDN released the newest video in their joint “Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry” campaign, featuring gay U.S. Marine Corps Captain Matthew Phelps and his soon-to-be husband Ben Schock. Captain Phelps and Schock previously made news when they became the first-ever same-sex couple to get engaged through a marriage proposal at the White House.
“There seems to be a contradiction between serving my country and my country not fully supporting my relationship with Ben,” says Captain Phelps in the video. “Every day, I’m reminded that my marriage to Ben is different from everybody else’s marriage, and it’s just not right.” The full video can be viewed here.
Captain Phelps will marry Schock in May in Seattle, Washington, and he will subsequently be transferred to Japan this summer for a minimum of two years. But because of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Schock will not be allowed to join him on base. Even though they will be legally married, Schock must leave the country every 90 days at his and his husband’s own expense, just to reenter again. The military does not provide the same housing allowance and assistance for married same-sex couples as it does for opposite-sex married couples, which will make it more difficult for Schock to find a job and for them both to support one another financially.
“As Captain Phelps prepares to put his life on the line every day for his country, his government has yet to ensure that his marriage will be given the same respect and dignity that his colleagues receive,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry. “Captain Phelps has made a commitment in life and will be legally married, but his husband will be treated as a stranger in the eyes of the federal government. It’s time to end the discrimination of military families like theirs and repeal DOMA.”
“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.”
ABOUT FREEDOM TO MARRY: Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.
ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6000 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.
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