News Archive
US News: Law Schools Protest ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’
The New York Times profiled two law schools that are at the forefront of the fight against the military's controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. The Vermont Law School and William Mitchell College of Law are the only two law schools in the country that bar military recruiters, which, under a 1996 law, allows the government to withhold federal research grants from the schools. ...Read More
New York Times: Vermont Law School paying the price for ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ rule protest
A renewed fight over the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy is being watched closely here on the campus of the Vermont Law School, a 600-student institution on the banks of the White River. ...Read More
Openly Gay Army Sergeant Discharged Under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Decorated Army Sergeant Darren Manzella has been discharged under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law banning lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans from military service, effective June 10. The Iraq war veteran was one of the first openly gay active duty service members to speak with the media while serving inside a war zone. In December 2007, Manzella was profiled by the CBS news magazine 60 Minutes. He told correspondent Lesley Stahl that he served openly during much of his time in the Army, with the full support of his colleagues and command. ...Read More
Women in Uniform Disproportionately Affected by “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Law
WASHINGTON, DC –Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) today released new data showing that while women make up approximately fifteen percent of the armed forces, they account for nearly half of all “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) discharges from the Army and Air Force. Women have always been disproportionately affected by the law forbidding openly gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans from military service but the 2007 data shows a significant increase in the ban’s impact. ...Read More
Remembering Leonard Matlovitch
WASHINGTON, DC – Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) marks the 20th anniversary of the death of retired Air Force Technical Sergeant Leonard Matlovich by renewing its call for the elimination of the ban on military service by gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans. Matlovich was the first service member to take the U.S. military to court over the ban, and one of the most famous gay people of his era. ...Read More
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Condemns Presidential Honor for Former Joint Chiefs Chairman
Washington, DC – Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) today strongly condemned President George W. Bush’s awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace. During a March 2007 interview with the Chicago Tribune, Pace called lesbians and gays “immoral” before adding, "I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts." ...Read More
First Circuit Rules on “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” Appeal
In a decision published yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upheld a district court’s dismissal of Cook v. Gates, a constitutional challenge to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” While concluding that the Supreme Court’s 2003 ruling in Lawrence v Texas recognizes a fundamental right, the court denied the plaintiffs’ appeal to have their case heard in court. ...Read More
SLDN Statement on 1st Circuit Ruling In “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Appeal
Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), issued the following statement today in response to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit’s decision in the case of Cook v. Gates, a constitutional challenge to the Congressional “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law banning openly lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans from military service. ...Read More
Former Senator Sam Nunn Says it is Time to Revisit “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
WASHINGTON, DC – Former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn said today that he believes it is time to revisit the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law which bans lesbians, gays and bisexuals from serving openly in the military. Nunn, one of the principal lawmakers responsible for the passage of the 1993 law, said in Atlanta, “I think [when] 15 years go by on any personnel policy, it’s appropriate to take another look at it — see how it’s working, ask the hard questions, hear from the military. Start with a Pentagon study.” ...Read More
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