Repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Now!

"I joined after September 11, 2001. I really wanted to do whatever I could for this country."

"I had a long history of military in my family and I felt like it was important that I do my part."

"When I joined the Marine Corps, I could have signed a contract for 20 years. I knew I was going to be a Marine for life, and I always stood by the Marine Corps."

The United States military loses patriotic and talented men and women every day due to the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy.

"I was a rifleman, and I was a tank."

"I was in one of the first two Air Force units to start doing combat."

"I was an auxiliary nuclear."

"I was there for the main push I was in an artillery unit."

Since 1993, this discriminatory policy has forced over 13,000 qualified and patriotic men and women to leave the service.

It has made many thousands more decide not to re-enlist.

"At the end of five and a half years of service I decided to get out because I couldn't lie about who I was anymore."

"I choose not to re-enlist. When I came back from Iraq and I looked out of the aircraft and there were always these flags and welcome home signs and I realized my partner couldn't be there on the tarmac, that was like a slap in the face.

While they serve, gay and lesbian service members live a lie.

They fear having their personal and professional lives ruined if the wrong people discover their sexual orientation.

"It's still hard for me to deal with even though now I'm out of active duty."

"If you have to lie about who you are to be able to serve, that's killing your integrity and that undermines what the military tries to instill in each and every solider."

"The law basically allows for a lot of disruption in the unit. This law is completely illogical. It doesn't do what it's supposed to do. It's a failed, failed law."

What matters most on the battlefield is a person's ability to complete the mission.

It's time for our country's laws and our military's policies to reflect this basic, common sense notion.

"Every single person knew what type of Marine I was, and they knew that I could do my job, and a lot of them said they would rather serve with me than a straight Marine."

"My squad leader, he sort of reached out to me on Facebook and he was like ... I think that what you're doing about DADT is good, and I think it is your duty to do that."

"I'm still in contact with that Lieutenant and she wishes, and actually she hopes that one day the ban will be repealed and I can come back as an officer."

"We really can, and I believe will repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' this year."

Applause.

Congress must repeal "Don't Ask Don't Tell" now. Call your senators at (202) 224-3121 and tell them that delay is not an option. Congress must act now to repeal "Don't Ask Don't Tell."

Our military needs to make personnel decisions based on the mission, not irrelevant factors like sexual orientation. Tell Congress today that delay is not an option. Congress must act now to repeal "Don't Ask Don't Tell."