Two new books – Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War by former Republican Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Worthy Fights: A Memoir of Leadership in War and Peace by former CIA Director and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta – give insights into Washington’s slow, deliberative but irrevocable move toward ending the discriminatory policy…
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Chuck Hagel as defense secretary after a bruising political fight. The former Nebraska senator, a Republican, was confirmed by a a vote of 58-41 and will succeed Leon Panetta at the Pentagon. Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson praised the Senate for confirming Hagel and called on…
WASHINGTON – Today Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta has announced that the Department of Defense will be extending additional benefits to same-sex partners of servicemembers. Panetta also stated that while the Defense of Marriage Act still remains law the Department faced legal limitations in regard to extending full benefits. Panetta’s statement follows: “Seventeen months ago, the…
WASHINGTON — Outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is expected this week to announce the long-delayed extension of support and benefits for gay and lesbian military families, according to reports. Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson said today that the organization hopes Panetta will take full advantage of this final opportunity to act before…
WASHINGTON – Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson today praised Senate Armed Services Committee members Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) for calling on Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to end his two-year silence on extending recognition, support, and benefits to LGBT servicemembers and their families as the law currently allows….
