Tell Congress: Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

It's time to remove the ban on gay, lesbian and bisexual troops that keeps them from serving openly in the military. A measure to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", called The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, has been re-introduced in the US House of Representatives and needs critical support as hearings begin.

Ask your Representative to co-sponsor the measure today. Personalized letters to Congress are even more effective, so please take a few minutes to add your thoughts to the letter below. If you are a veteran, military personnel, or a family member of military personnel, share your story.

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

As your constituent, I urge you to cosponsor the Military Readiness Enhancement Act that is currently in the House of Representatives.

Although the main purpose of this legislation is to repeal the U.S. Military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy so that gay, lesbian and bisexual troops would be allowed to serve openly, the bill is much more than a non-discrimination bill. It is a bill that would protect national security and strengthen our military, while saving taxpayers and our Armed Forces millions of dollars and countless resources that could be put to better use.

(Edit Letter Below)

Military readiness is enhanced when every qualified American who wants to serve is allowed to do so. It is estimated that at least 65,000 lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans are currently serving in the U.S. Military.  More than 12,000 more have already been discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Given the current needs of the our Armed Forces, which are already stretched thin and are facing serious problems in recruiting and retaining troops, it makes no sense to continue a policy that keeps able-bodied Americans from serving. A non-partisan panel of military experts recently concluded that "allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly is unlikely to pose any significant risk to morale, good order, discipline or cohesion."

According to a report released by the General Accounting Office, nearly 800 specialists with critical skills have been fired, including 322 linguists, more than 54 of whom specialized in Arabic.  According to the GAO report, the enforcement of this policy has cost a minimum of $191 million, although that number does not include costs associated with discharging officers or other highly skilled specialists. The GAO report clearly shows that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" must be repealed.
 
Thank you again for your support of this critical legislation.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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