"Voices of Honor: A Generation Under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" comes to Southern California.

Human Rights Campaign, Servicemembers United Bring National Tour to Repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to Palm Springs, San Diego

Gay, lesbian, and straight service members highlight “Voices of Honor: A Generation Under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’”

SAN DIEGO, CA – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, in partnership with Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans and their straight allies, will visit Palm Springs, CA on September 29 and San Diego, CA, on September 30 as part of “Voices of Honor: A Generation Under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’” The national tour highlights the discriminatory law that hurts military readiness and national security while putting American soldiers fighting overseas at risk. The Palm Springs, CA visit will include a documentary screening and the San Diego, CA visit will include a public town hall discussion. To learn more, visit: www.hrc.org/VoicesOfHonor.

After more than 15 years, many former congressional and senior military leaders who were involved in the construction and implementation of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” have recently called for the law to be reviewed or repealed, including former Joint Chiefs Chairmen Gen. John Shalikashvili and Gen. Colin Powell, and former Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA). The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1283), which would repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” was introduced in the U.S. House earlier this year.

Passed in 1993, the “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” law allows gay, lesbian and bisexual service personnel to serve in the armed forces as long as their sexual orientation is not publicly disclosed or discovered. As of 2008, more than 13,000 men and women have been fired from the military because of their sexual orientation, including more than 60 Arabic linguists and nearly 800 other service members in critical occupational fields.

DOCUMENTARY DETAILS:(Palm Springs)

WHAT: Screening of “Ask Not,” a PBS documentary on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

WHEN: September 29, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: Camelot Theatres, 2300 E. Baristo Rd., Palm Springs, CA 92262

WHO: Q&A session following the movie featuring film principles Alex Nicholson and Jarrod Chlapowski

TOWN HALL DETAILS: (San Diego)

WHAT: Public town hall discussion on the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

WHEN: September 30, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Veterans Museum and Memorial Center, Main Chapel Area, 2115 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101

WHO: Town hall to feature remarks from:

• Jarrod Chlapowski, a former U.S. Army Korean linguist who opted to not re-enlist because of DADT and is a public policy advocate at the Human Rights Campaign;
• Alex Nicholson, a former U.S. Army Human Intelligence Collector discharged under DADT and current executive director of Servicemembers United;
• Julianne Sohn, a former Marine Corps officer and Iraq war veteran who was discharged under DADT and is now a member of the LAPD;
• Nathaniel Vigil, a former Air Force Russian linguist who is a law student at the University of San Diego;

For veteran profiles, visit: http://www.hrc.org/sites/voicesofhonor/about_vets.asp