Gay and lesbian service members are organizing themselves in order to help the Pentagon prepare for life after “don’t ask, don’t tell.” This week, they are publicly launching OutServe (formerly known as Citizens for Repeal), the first-ever organization of actively serving gay troops and they have started speaking openly with Pentagon officials as well as public audiences. For information about the group go to www.outserve.org
According to the group’s Co-Director, JD Smith, “Active duty and reserve gay and lesbian troops have been critical to the nation’s defense, but almost completely absent from the conversation. We’re fixing that.” Smith, who goes by his initials in the interest of privacy and safety, is an officer. Smith says that OutServe has expanded by word of mouth and Facebook since its formation as an underground network in October 2009 and now consists of approximately 450 gay and lesbian service members, including approximately two dozen deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Growth has been swift, and an average of 15 new members are joining each week. The group verifies each new applicant against a database of U.S. troops to ensure that only active duty individuals join.
In response to concerns that after the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” gay troops will parade their sexual orientation or engage in other inappropriate conduct, the group is organizing its public launch this week around the release of a statement outlining its expectation of a smooth transition. “Following the lifting of the ban, it will be business as usual,” according to the group’s Overseas Director, an enlisted service member deployed with an artillery unit in Baghdad. “We defend the nation now and we will keep defending it after repeal. We are issuing the statement to explain that to people.”
Several organizations representing gay and lesbian graduates and affiliates of the Service Academies are planning to co-sign the statement along with OutServe, which is the principal author.
Although group members remain cautious about revealing their identities while “don’t ask, don’t tell” is still law, they are beginning to speak more openly in anticipation of the end of the ban. They have started to deliver public lectures on university campuses, and are engaged in ongoing dialogue with military researchers. “We have made two points to Pentagon officials,” says Ty Walrod, the group’s Co-Director and civilian spokesperson. “First, we trust the Commander in Chief to deliver on his pledge to fully implement non-discrimination. Second, while we believe that the Pentagon’s research efforts are sincere and we are able and willing to help in any way, we have concerns about the confidentiality of its survey and the authenticity of some of the respondents.” Walrod, the only non-military member of the group, is based in San Francisco.
In Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands and other foreign countries where militaries have lifted gay bans, organizations representing gay and lesbian troops serve as a bridge between service members and defense ministries. OutServe plans to play a similar role after the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Smith says that the organization already has provided information, resources and social support to gay troops, and will continue to do so following repeal. In addition, the group will continue to offer advice to Pentagon officials about issues relevant to the community.
The Baghdad-based Overseas Director added that, “We are here to fight and win wars, serve with integrity and honesty and protect the people fighting next to us. We are proud to sacrifice for the nation we love, but we have a lot of educational work to do.”
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