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Statement: SLDN Issues Response to Chaplains Opposed to Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 30, 2010
Trevor Thomas: (616) 430-2030 or trevor@sldn.org
Paul DeMiglio: (202) 621-5408 or paul@sldn.org

SLDN Issues Response to Chaplains Opposed to Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

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), released a statement today in response to retired chaplains who argued against repeal in an AP story Friday afternoon.

Statement by Chaplain (Colonel) Paul W. Dodd, U.S. Army (Ret.):

“Some of those who support ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell’ argue that repeal would impose unreasonable requirements on military chaplains and infringe on their free exercise of their religion. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is a red herring, offered by opponents of repeal.

“The military already recognizes that the bottom line is the religious needs of a religiously diverse population of service members. For a person to be considered for appointment as a military chaplain, a chaplain must agree that he or she is willing to function in a pluralistic environment and is willing to support directly and indirectly the free exercise of religion by all members of the military.

“Military chaplains are required to serve a religiously diverse population, which holds different views on many things, including gender, race, other religions, and sexual orientation. This does not mean, of course, that the military chaplain must abandon his or her personal beliefs. Nor does it mean that the chaplain must modify his or her spiritual message when conducting a denomination-specific service. All chaplains will continue the historic tradition of securing the free exercise of religion for all our troops.”

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WARNING: Gay and lesbian service members OR those interested in signing up to serve who have questions should contact the SLDN legal hotline to speak with an attorney: 202-328-3244 x100. SLDN also re-issued its warning to active-duty service members, including those in the reserves and the national guard, to know they’re at risk. Anyone with questions or concerns should call our hotline or visit: www.SLDN.org/StillAtRisk.

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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