News Archive
Pentagon Announces It Will Discontinue ‘TALON’ Domestic Surveillance Program
Washington, D.C. - The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced plans to discontinue its controversial Threat and Local Observation Notices (TALON) surveillance program, launched in 2003 track and monitor domestic terror threats. The program came under intense scrutiny after news reports revealed officials were collecting data on demonstrators and protestors, including those within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. In February 2006, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) filed a federal lawsuit seeking information related to surveillance of LGBT activists and student groups. Documentation released in April 2006 found extensive monitoring of students opposed to the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law at New York University, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of California at Santa Cruz. ...Read More
Osburn to Step Down as Executive Director of SLDN
WASHINGTON - April 20, 2007: C. Dixon Osburn, longtime Executive Director for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, is resigning this month to pursue new career opportunities. Osburn is one of the co-founders of the thirteen year-old group whose mission is to end discrimination against and harassment of service members harmed by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and related forms of intolerance. ...Read More
Seven Retired Military Officers ‘Come Out’ in Response to General Peter Pace
WASHINGTON, DC - A group of seven high-ranking military veterans publicly acknowledged their sexual orientation in the April 24th issue of The Advocate. The seven are the largest number of senior officers to "come out" publicly as lesbian or gay at one time. They "came out" in response to General Peter Pace's remarks in a March 12th Chicago Tribune interview where General Pace, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declared that lesbian, gay and bisexual service members are "immoral" and stated his support for the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law banning lesbian, gay and bisexual military personnel. The seven officers demanded that General Pace apologize and called on Congress to repeal the law. ...Read More
SLDN YouTube Video Showcases Veterans, Calls for Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
WASHINGTON, DC - A documentary by Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) showcases ten veterans and family members sharing their experiences under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." law banning lesbian, gay and bisexual service members. Individuals featured include SLDN Honorary Board Member MCPOCG Vince Patton, USCG (Ret.), who served as a research analyst on the President's Task Force on the Study of Gays in the Military in 1993; Patricia and Wally Kutteles, the parents of murdered PFC Barry Winchell; and Alastair Gamble, a former Arabic linguist discharged under the gay ban. ...Read More
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