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Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Issues Statement on Sec. Gates Letter to Chairman Skelton

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2010

Contact: Paul DeMiglio
(202) 251-5553 or pdemiglio@sldn.org

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Issues Statement on Sec. Gates Letter to Chairman Skelton

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), a national, legal services and policy organization dedicated to ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT), responded today to the letter sent by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) on delaying legislative action to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” this year.

Statement by Trevor Thomas, communications director for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network:

“As Secretary Gates said in his testimony before Congress, the Pentagon Working Group’s study is moving forward on the basis of how ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is repealed, not when. We would like to emphasize that legislation this year can be passed that repeals ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ while respecting the findings and implementation recommendations of the Pentagon Working Group.

“Congress is on the brink of repealing this law. Legislative solutions exist that bring the Pentagon and the White House together with leaders on Capitol Hill to repeal DADT this year. Surely neither the White House nor Secretary Gates want this historical change to happen without their imprint and leadership.”

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On April 27, SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis penned an op-ed for Roll Call outlining recommendations for the committee leaders to consider that would allow for legislative action this year while respecting the process of the Pentagon Working Group:

“The Senate DADT repeal leaders, Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Carl Levin (D-Mich.), and House champion Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.) are all aware of the need to ensure that the recommendations coming from the Pentagon are carefully considered before DADT is changed. Here are some recommendations for the committee leaders to consider:

1. DADT investigations and discharges will not end until the recommendations of the Pentagon Working Group have been received and considered; Secretary Gates will retain authority over this process.

2. Under the present schedule, the PWG will make its recommendations by Dec. 1, and 60 days later, DOD can issue directions and instructions to each service on how to proceed with open service.

3. An additional 60 days after that, each service can issue regulations.

4. Therefore, DADT would not be repealed until 180 days after the bill is signed.

5. And in early 2011, the committees can consider any additional recommendations from the Pentagon.”

To read the full article visit: http://www.rollcall.com/news/45597-1.html.

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (www.sldn.org) is a national, non-profit legal services and policy organization dedicated to ending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” A journalists’ guide is available here.

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