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Written by Lisa Neff, Staff writer
Aug 25, 2010
Aubrey Sarvis of Servicemembers Legan Defense Network – Photo: Courtesy
About 25 percent of U.S. servicemembers contacted about a proposed repeal of the ban against gay troops responded to the Pentagon survey.
Earlier this year, the Department of Defense sent out 400,000 questionnaires as part of a study on the implications of repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that prohibits GLB troops from serving openly. Congressional Democrats have moved forward this session on President Obama’s call to repeal the policy enacted during Bill Clinton’s first term in the White House.
By the late-August deadline for the survey, 103,000 servicemembers had turned in their questionnaires, which asked how comfortable they’d be rooming with a gay person.
The Pentagon next plans to survey family members of troops.
Meanwhile, an independent survey conducted by the Palm Center indicated that under DADT the military discharged a number of mission critical troops in 2009, including eight linguists, 20 infantrymen, 16 medical aides, seven combat engineers, six missile artillery operating crew members and one member of the Army Special Forces.
The study also showed women and minorities have been disproportionately discharged under DADT.
“This study is further proof that not only is the ban on lesbian and gay servicemembers discriminatory, but it undermines national security,” says Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBT civil rights group. “War time is the wrong time to fire men and women in uniform whose skills are critical to successfully completing our mission. When the Senate returns from recess, repeal of this failed law must be their first priority.”
The full U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate Armed Services Committee voted to repeal DADT in May. The full Senate is expected to take up repeal when it considers the proposed National Defense Authorization Act this fall.
“We need supporters to contact their senators and tell them to repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ and follow the lead of (U.S. Sen.) Carl Levin, who will be managing the defense bill on the floor,” said Aubrey Sarvis of Servicemembers Legan Defense Network, a D.C.-based advocacy group for LGBT veterans and servicemembers. “It is critical that we beat back any filibuster threat, defeat attempts to strike repeal and defeat any crippling amendments.”
SLDN has compiled a list of states where senators must be lobbied, including Arkansas, Indiana, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Virginia.
“Senators need to hear from us now, especially in the 10 key states where our combined SLDN and HRC field teams are working now,” Sarvis said.
