Three American Service Members Discharged Under DADT Sue To Be Reinstated

Monday, three military veterans discharged under the policy that prohibits openly gay service members filed suit against the federal government to be reinstated and to pressure legislators to repeal the ban known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” before a new Congress is sworn in, according to a report by CNN. The suit, filed in a United States District Court in San Francisco also seeks to have the policy declared unconstitutional, consequently unenforceable. The suit was filed by the non-partisan Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and the law firm of Morrison and Foerster on behalf of 28 year old Navy Petty Officer Second Class Jason Knight, 31 year old Air Force Staff Sergeant Anthony Loverde, and 40 year old Air Force Major Michael Almy. All three earned numerous military awards during their service. M. Andrew Woodmansee of Morrison and Foerster said in a statement "Today we are asking the court to allow these three brave Americans to fulfill the commitment they made years ago when they joined the military. They simply want to serve their country, and it is fundamentally un-American to refuse their service merely because they are gay. Throughout our nation's history, citizens have turned to the courts to remedy injustices when Congress would not act," Woodmansee said. "If the Senate will not meet its obligations by ending this unconstitutional law, we will ask the court to step in to protect the rights of my clients as well as all the men and women who wish to serve this country in the military."