May 5th, 2010
Today’s letter to President Barack Obama urging repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” comes from former First Lieutenant LAura Slattery of the U.S. Army. She is a West Point graduate, having attended because the school’s code of honor was so important to her. “Integrity has always been, of all the values, the one I hold most dear.” But after graduating, she found herself falling in love with another woman while deployed in the Pacific.
The values of physical work, integrity, service and team building made the Army an almost ideal place for me. I may have continued serving if I had felt more a part of the team.
I was well-liked and had friends, but not being able to share the biggest struggle in my life (and the biggest joy) with my peers and military friends prevented me from really forming the kind of friendships that one needs to feel as an integral part of a team.
It’s the warmth and support of a team that is truly needed for real “unit cohesion” among the officer corps and with the troops. It is necessary to continue to risk life and limb for each other.
In the end we risked everything not only for our country, but for our country personified in and by our buddies, members of that integral team. Not feeling that, I resigned my commission in September of 1991.
You can read the full letter here. All of the letters from the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network’s campaign are available here. The SLDN explains why they are publishing this series of letters from active and former servicemembers:
“Stories from the Frontlines: Letters to President Barack Obama” is a new media campaign launched to underscore the urgent need for congressional action and presidential leadership at this critical point in the fight to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT). Every weekday morning as we approach the markup of the Defense Authorization bill in the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, SLDN and a coalition of voices supporting repeal, will share an open letter to the President from a person impacted by this discriminatory law. We are urging the President to include repeal in the Administration’s defense budget recommendations, but also to voice his support as we work to muster the 15 critical votes needed on the Senate Armed Services Committee to include repeal. The Defense Authorization bill represents the best legislative vehicle to bring repeal to the president’s desk. It also was the same vehicle used to pass DADT in 1993. By working together, we can help build momentum to get the votes! We ask that you forward and post these personal stories.
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Swampfox
May 5th, 2010
Integrity……….and, DADT do not compute.
Maurice Lacunza
May 6th, 2010
I think the Stories from the Frontlines are an excellent way to share the real truth about DADT to the Whitehouse.
My high praises to the writers and also to BTB for sharing them. Nice work.
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