Press Release

Gillibrand Applauds Reserve Officers Association For Rejecting “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”

Feb 12, 2010

Washington, D.C. – The Reserve Officers Association, the nation’s largest organization of retired U.S. military reserve officers, voted this week to end its decade-long position of excluding gays and lesbians from the U.S. military and rejected the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement:

“I am pleased and proud to see the Reserve Officers Association take this important step to make our country stronger morally and militarily.

“Each time we discharge a member of our Armed Services just because of who they are, we weaken our military and our national security.

“Faced with two wars and non-stop threat of terrorism, we cannot afford to lose some of our best, brightest and bravest service-members, especially those in mission critical areas and specialized in fighting terrorism.

“I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress and in the Administration to end this discriminatory, harmful policy, and make sure our military is as strong as possible.”

 
WATCH Senator Gillibrand leading the charge in the Senate to immediately repeal DADT