October 13, 2010

To All Concerned:

On Saturday, October 9, the spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
launched a personal attack against Servicemembers United's founder and Executive
Director, Alex Nicholson. The previous day, Nicholson, who is one of the nation's
leading "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) repeal advocates, had called out the White
House for its lack of substantive action and support this year on DADT and called on
Senior White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett to meet with DADT repeal advocates.

Instead of supporting the call for dialogue and greater White House accountability, the
Human Rights Campaign's official spokesperson made personal attacks and demanded
that our community heap gratitude and praise upon the White House for where we are
today on DADT. This attack was unprofessional, immature, and unproductive itself, and
it was alienating and insulting to the entire LGBT military and veteran community.

Like Nicholson, and unlike HRC's spokesperson or any of its leadership, each of us has
served this nation in uniform and each of us has been directly impacted by DADT. We, as
27 of the nation’s most prominent DADT repeal activists of the past two decades have
also worked to help make this discriminatory law a part of history. No matter the
disagreement on strategy, we will not tolerate an attack against one of our own. We are
united as veterans to fight "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," with effectiveness, diligence, and
veracity. And we are determined to see legislative repeal this year, with or without HRC.
Our brothers and sisters still serving in silence deserve nothing less.

Faithfully,

Dan Choi Brian Muller

Westpoint Graduate, Discharged Under DADT Army Bomb Technician, Discharged Under DADT
DADT Repeal Advocate DADT Repeal Advocate

Jason Knight Alastair Gamble

Hebrew Linguist, Discharged Under DADT Arabic Linguist, Discharged Under DADT
DADT Repeal Advocate DADT Repeal Advocate

Darren Manzella Anthony Wilfert

US Army, Discharged Under DADT Discharged Under DADT
DADT Repeal Advocate DADT Repeal Advocate

Steve Lorandos Brett Edward Stout

Petty Officer, 2nd Class – Submarines, US Navy USMC Russian Linguist, Veteran
DADT Repeal Advocate DADT Repeal Advocate

Brian Fricke Rob Smith

USMC, Discharged Under DADT US Army Infantryman, Veteran
DADT Repeal Advocate DADT Repeal Advocate
Keith Meinhold Jarrod Chlapowski
Petty Officer, 1st Class – Aviation – US Navy US Army Korean Linguist, Veteran
DADT Repeal Advocate Field Director, Servicemembers United

Justin Elzie Larry Baxley

USMC Veteran, Discharged Under DADT US Navy Intelligence Officer, Veteran
DADT Repeal Advocate Former VA Veteran Field Organizer, HRC

Ben Gomez Justin D. Ford

Petty Officer, 2nd Class – Legalman, US Navy US Army Veteran, Straight DADT Repeal Ally
President, AVER, San Diego Former North FL Veteran Field Organizer, HRC

Mara Stewart Walker Burttschell

Petty Officer, 1st Class – Linguist, US Navy USMC Veteran, Discharged Under DADT
DADT Repeal Advocate Former South FL Veteran Field Organizer, HRC

Julianne Sohn Gabriel Knous

USMC Comms.Officer, Discharged Under DADT USMC Veteran
DADT Repeal Advocate Former Orlando Veteran Field Organizer, HRC

Julie Mendoza Scott Spychala

US Air Force, Retired USAF/ANG, Retired
DADT Repeal Advocate Former IN Veteran Field Organizer, HRC

Tanya Domi Pepe Johnson

US Army Veteran, Columbia Univ. Professor US Army Field Artillery, Discharged Under DADT
DADT Repeal Advocate Former WV Veteran Field Organizer, HRC

Anu Baghwati Rasool Mutawakkil, Jr.

USMC Communications Officer, Veteran US Army Veteran, Straight DADT Repeal Ally
Executive Director, SWAN Former Tampa Veteran Field Organizer, HRC

Jenn Hogg
Army National Guard, Veteran
DADT Repeal Advocate