DADT: Don't Assume Disguised Tallying

« Go back a post || Return to G-A-Y homepage || Haul tail to next post »

07/08/2010

by Jeremy Hooper

It's galling that LGB soldiers are being subjected to a survey in the first place. But that's the way it's apparently going to be if we want to finally get Don't Ask Don't Tell repealed this year. And if that's the way it must be, then Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is going to be sure to protect those who are already the most vulnerable participants in this character-slighting process:

BREAKING: SLDN Statement on Pentagon Survey of Troops on DADT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 8, 2010

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Statement on Pentagon Survey of Troops on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
“At this time SLDN cannot recommend that lesbian, gay, or bisexual service members participate in any survey”

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 the following statement today after learning the Department of Defense is launching a survey to troops concerning DADT. Late last week, SLDN asked the Department of Defense and the Pentagon Working Group for the text of the surveys, more information on possible certificates of confidentiality, and whether DOD or PWG could guarantee immunity from DADT and other armed services rules and regulations for service members who are inadvertently "outed" by the surveys. The Department of Defense was unable to satisfy our request.

Statement from Army Veteran and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis:

“A number of service members have contacted SLDN to seek guidance on surveys concerning the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell -- the discriminatory law barring gay and lesbian service members from serving with integrity. At this time SLDN cannot recommend that lesbian, gay, or bisexual service members participate in any survey being administered by the Department of Defense, the Pentagon Working Group, or any third-party contractors. While the surveys are apparently designed to protect the individual’s privacy, there is no guarantee of privacy and DOD has not agreed to provide immunity to service members whose privacy may be inadvertently violated or who inadvertently outs himself or herself. If a service member still wishes to participate, he or she should only do so in a manner that does not reveal sexual orientation.”

##
http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/breaking-sldn-statement-on-pentagon-survey-of-troops-on-dadt/