OutServe-SLDN

{{Infobox organization

| image = OutServe-SLDN Logo.png

| caption =

| formation = July 2, 2012 (merged)

| type =

| headquarters =Washington, D.C.

| language =

| leader_title = Executive Director

| leader_name = Andy Blevins

| key_people =

| budget =

| name = OutServe-SLDN

| image_border =

| size =

| location = Worldwide

| membership = >7,000

| num_staff =

| website = [http://www.outserve-sldn.org www.OutServe-SLDN.org]

}}

OutServe-SLDN was a network of LGBTQ military personnel, formed as a result of the merger between OutServe and the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. OutServe-SLDN was one of the largest LGBT employee resource groups in the world.{{cite news| first=Steve |last=Rothaus | work=The Miami Herald | url= http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2012/07/servicemembers-legal-defense-network-outserve-vote-to-merge-into-one-organization.html | title= Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, OutServe vote to merge into one organization | date= July 7, 2012 | access-date= September 17, 2012}} OutServe was founded by a 2009 graduate of the US Air Force Academy, Josh Seefried (also known as JD Smith to protect his identity) and Ty Walrod. There were over 7,000 members and 80 chapters worldwide.{{cite web | title= About OutServe | website= outserve.org | url= http://outserve.org/about | publisher= OutServe | year= 2011 | access-date= March 11, 2014 | archive-date= January 22, 2013 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130122011440/http://outserve.org/about/ | url-status= dead }}

On July 2, 2012, OutServe announced that it would merge with Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an organization that advocates on behalf of and provides legal services to gay and lesbian military personnel and veterans, in October 2012.{{cite press release | url= http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/stronger.-together.-sldn-outserve-boards-announce-intent-to-combine/ | title= Stronger. Together. SLDN, OutServe Boards Announce Intent to Combine | website= SLDN.org | date= July 2, 2012 | access-date= October 15, 2012 | archive-date= July 28, 2012 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120728213045/http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/stronger.-together.-sldn-outserve-boards-announce-intent-to-combine/ | url-status= dead }} On October 25, 2012, Allyson Robinson was the first executive director of OutServe-SLDN following the merger of those two organizations.{{cite web |title=SLDN & Outserve Tap Army Veteran To Lead Newly Combined Organization| url= http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/sldn-outserve-tap-army-veteran-to-lead-newly-combined-organization/| publisher=Servicemembers Legal Defense Network| access-date=October 25, 2012| url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121028090029/http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/sldn-outserve-tap-army-veteran-to-lead-newly-combined-organization| archive-date= October 28, 2012|df=mdy-all}} She was the first transgender person to ever lead a national LGBT rights organization that does not have an explicit transgender focus.{{cite web | first= Chris | last= Geidner |title=Military Group Picks Trans Woman As Leader| url= https://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/military-group-picks-trans-woman-as-leader |work=Buzzfeed | date=October 25, 2012|access-date=January 16, 2013}}

As part of an extensive reorganization and a review of the organization's mission and finances, which included some public airing of internal dissension and inability to fund its current operations, Josh Seefried resigned from the Board on July 8, 2013{{cite news| last= Brydum |first= Sunnivie |title=Allyson Robinson to Continue as OutServe-SLDN Director for 'Near Term'| url= http://www.advocate.com/politics/military/2013/06/24/allyson-robinson-continue-outserve-sldn-director-near-term| access-date=June 25, 2013 |newspaper= The Advocate |date=June 24, 2013}}{{cite news | last= Snow | first= Justin | title= OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson to stay on temporarily after board upset | url= http://www.metroweekly.com/poliglot/2013/06/outserve-sldn-executive-director-allyson-robinson.html | access-date= June 25, 2013 | newspaper= MetroWeekly | date= June 24, 2013 | archive-date= June 30, 2013 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130630085551/http://www.metroweekly.com/poliglot/2013/06/outserve-sldn-executive-director-allyson-robinson.html | url-status= dead }} Less than nine months after hiring Robinson, OutServe-SLDN's board announced it was bankrupt and had to close its Washington D.C. headquarters; on the same day, Robinson announced that her resignation as executive director would take effect the following day, July 12, 2013.{{cite news|last=Aravosis|first=John|title=Allyson Robinson announces resignation as ED of OutServe-SLDN|url=http://americablog.com/2013/07/allyson-robinson-announced-resignation-as-ed-of-outserve-sldn.html|access-date=July 17, 2013|newspaper=Americablog|date=July 11, 2013|archive-date=August 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825073153/http://americablog.com/2013/07/allyson-robinson-announced-resignation-as-ed-of-outserve-sldn.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last=Aravosis|first=John|title=OutServe-SLDN closes headquarters, reveals organization is bankrupt|url=http://americablog.com/2013/07/outserve-sldn-closes-headquarters-reveals-organization-bankrupt.html|access-date=July 17, 2013|newspaper=Americablog|date=July 12, 2013|archive-date=August 9, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809170308/http://americablog.com/2013/07/outserve-sldn-closes-headquarters-reveals-organization-bankrupt.html|url-status=dead}} The board announced that for at least a year it plans to focus on the financial crisis and the payment of debts, followed by an eventual return to providing "advocacy, development, or other support."{{cite news|last= Aravosis|first= John|title= OutServe-SLDN closes headquarters, reveals organization is bankrupt|url= http://americablog.com/2013/07/outserve-sldn-closes-headquarters-reveals-organization-bankrupt.html|access-date= July 14, 2013|newspaper= Americablog|date= July 12, 2013|archive-date= August 9, 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130809170308/http://americablog.com/2013/07/outserve-sldn-closes-headquarters-reveals-organization-bankrupt.html|url-status= dead}} Since that time, OutServe-SLDN continued to actively serve its over 7,000 members and in early 2014 engaged with the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals regarding Marriage Equality Cases in Oklahoma and Utah.{{cite news|last= Schaaf|first= Brian|title= Amicus Brief filed today to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit|website= SLDN.org|url= http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/amicus-brief-filed-today-to-the-u.s.-court-of-appeals-for-the-tenth-circuit|date= March 3, 2014|access-date= March 27, 2014|archive-date= March 27, 2014|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140327234328/http://www.sldn.org/news/archives/amicus-brief-filed-today-to-the-u.s.-court-of-appeals-for-the-tenth-circuit|url-status= dead}}

In May 2019, OutServe-SLDN merged with the American Military Partner Association (AMPA) to form the [https://modernmilitary.org Modern Military Association of America] (MMAA), a united voice for the LGBTQ military and veteran community.{{Cite web| url= https://modernmilitary.org/about/|title=Our Mission |last= Peters| first= Stephen |website= modernmilitary.org | publisher= Modern Military Association of America |language=en-US|access-date= 2019-08-13}} MMAA continues the missions of both OutServe-SLDN and AMPA through education, advocacy, and support for LGBTQ service members, veterans, military spouses, family members and allies.{{Cite web| url= https://modernmilitary.org/|title=Modern Military Association of America |last= Peters| first=Stephen| website= modernmilitary.org | publisher= Modern Military Association of America |language= en-US|access-date=2019-08-13}}

Leadership

File:OutServe logo.png

Allyson Robinson was the first executive director of OutServe-SLDN, following the merger of those two organizations. She was the first transgender person to ever lead a national LGBT rights organization that does not have an explicit transgender focus.

File:OutServe Logo.jpg

There are leaders for each of the 80+ chapters worldwide, whose identities, as well as those of all members, were kept anonymous under DADT. With the expiration of DADT on September 20, 2011, JD Smith revealed his true identity. One hundred and one OutServe members in total came out publicly with the end of DADT.{{cite news | author=Leo Shane III | title=An outspoken anti-DADT activist reveals his identity | url=http://www.stripes.com/news/an-outspoken-anti-dadt-activist-reveals-his-identity-1.155606 | work=Stars and Stripes | date=September 20, 2011 | access-date=September 20, 2011| author-link=Leo Shane III }}

Membership

File:Stuttgart - CSD 2016 - Parade - OutServe.jpg's Pride March in 2016 (Germany).]]

As of April 2011, OutServe was divided into 42 regional chapters, with a total membership of over 5,000 members. It included personnel from the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard, both commissioned officers and enlisted. Due to privacy concerns, OutServe's Membership was closely guarded and monitored. Each chapter has an internally selected leader. Several chapters have hosted meetings and social gatherings aimed at improving the morale and quality of life of the members. The structure of OutServe was inspired by the British military's Proud2Serve organization.{{cite news | author=Devin Dwyer | title='Don't Ask, Don't Tell': Closeted Gay Troops Build Secret, Worldwide Support Network | url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/dont-closeted-gay-troops-build-underground-worldwide-support/story?id=12277180 | work=ABC News | date= December 1, 2010 | access-date=August 25, 2011}} As of 2014, OutServe has continued to grow and now has a total membership of over 7,000 members in 80+ chapters worldwide.

General

In June 2010, OutServe sent a letter criticizing the Comprehensive Review Working Group's initial decision to exclude gay and lesbian military personnel from the DADT review process.{{cite news | url=http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_15256223?source=commented-news | title=Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" study draws fire from advocates, gay soldiers| author=Michael Riley| date=June 9, 2010| work=The Denver Post | access-date=August 25, 2011}}

On July 26, 2010, OutServe was falsely accused of claiming to be the first organization to directly represent active-duty service members, specifically. Walrod said that OutServe was not interested in claiming credit for the work of other organizations and only aimed to give a voice to personnel silenced by the DADT policy.{{cite news | author=Chris Geidner | title=OutServe to Launch Effort Representing Active Gay and Lesbian Troops | url=http://www.metroweekly.com/poliglot/2010/07/outserve-to-launch-effort-repr.html | work=Metro Weekly | date=July 26, 2010 | access-date=August 25, 2011 | archive-date=June 26, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110626182213/http://metroweekly.com/poliglot/2010/07/outserve-to-launch-effort-repr.html | url-status=dead }}

At the end of August 2011, the DOD approved the distribution of OutServe Magazine at Army and Air Force base exchanges beginning with the September 20 issue, coinciding with the end of DADT.{{cite news | work=Stars and Stripes | url=http://www.stripes.com/blogs/stripes-central/stripes-central-1.8040/gay-military-magazine-to-land-at-army-af-bases-1.153685 | author=Leo Shane III | title=Gay military magazine to land at Army, AF bases | date=August 30, 2011 | access-date=February 17, 2012}}

''OutServe Magazine''

OutServe Magazine, co-founded by Air Force Staff Sgt. Jonathan Mills and Capt Edward Sweeney, was a bi-monthly periodical digital and print publication of OutServe, a non-profit, non-government organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service members in the United States Armed Forces. It was first published online in March 2011, while OutServe was still operating clandestinely prior to the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that banned open gays from service. The Magazine was later printed and distributed to military bases, the first magazine of its kind to receive DoD approval for distribution, beginning the day of the implementation of DADT repeal. The publication was distributed free of charge to the military, and was available to the public for downloading and redistribution through its website and mobile apps. The Magazine published its final issue in June 2013, one month before the resignation of key OutServe-SLDN leaders. The Magazine's archived issues can be found at [http://outservemag.magcloud.com MagCloud].

SLDN

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) was founded as a non-profit legal services, watchdog, and policy organization founded in the United States in 1993. It was dedicated to ending discrimination and harassment of gay and lesbian U.S. military personnel negatively affected by the "Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) policy which was established that same year. Before being merged into OutServe-SLDN, SLDN documented over 700 violations in the policy's first two years of operation.{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Cpnj0Nm6dmYC | title=Conduct Unbecoming: 3rd Annual Report on Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue |author1=C. Dixon Osburn |author2=Michelle M. Benecke |author3=Kirk Childress | publisher=DIANE Publishing | year=1997 | isbn=0-7881-4678-5 | access-date=November 12, 2012}} As of January 2011, it provided legal aid to more than 10,000 service members.{{cite news | title=San Diego Community News: Momentum on the Midway fund-raiser returns to San Diego | work=Gay and Lesbian Times | date=September 1, 2005 | issue=923 }}

=Lawsuits=

In June 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled against SLDN in Cook v. Gates, in which SLDN's twelve clients sought reinstatement in the military after being discharged under DADT.SLDN: [http://sldn.3cdn.net/cc3a6f392d47a745fc_3nm6b5jrk.pdf Cook v. Gates] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110803225325/http://sldn.3cdn.net/cc3a6f392d47a745fc_3nm6b5jrk.pdf |date=August 3, 2011 }}, accessed July 11, 2011

On October 27, 2011, SLDN sued the Department of Defense, challenging Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and two statutes that detail military benefits.{{cite news | work=MetroWeekly | url=http://metroweekly.com/poliglot/2011/10/sldn-files-doma-challenge-seek.html | author=Chris Geidner | title=SLDN Files DOMA Challenge, Seeking Equal Benefits for Same-Sex Military Spouses | date=October 27, 2011 | access-date=February 17, 2012 | archive-date=March 2, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302084332/http://metroweekly.com/poliglot/2011/10/sldn-files-doma-challenge-seek.html | url-status=dead }} In a November 21 filing, SLDN argued:{{cite news | work=MetroWeekly | url=http://metroweekly.com/poliglot/2011/11/sldn-lawyers-tell-court-americ.html | author=Chris Geidner | title=SLDN Lawyers Tell Court 'American Servicemembers and Their Families Are Among DOMA's Victims | date=November 21, 2011 | access-date=February 17, 2012 | archive-date=December 29, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111229084135/http://www.metroweekly.com/poliglot/2011/11/sldn-lawyers-tell-court-americ.html | url-status=dead }}

{{blockquote|Any claim that DOMA, as applied to military spousal benefits, survives rational basis review is strained because paying unequal benefits to service members runs directly counter to the military values of uniformity, fairness and unit cohesion. While there was once a debate as to whether gay and lesbian service members should be allowed to serve openly in the armed forces -- just as there were similar debates regarding integrating the military by race and then by gender -- there never has been any debate as to whether similarly situated service members who do the same work deserve the same benefits.}}

The case, McLaughlin v. Panetta, was put on hold at the request of both sides in anticipation of the outcome of two other First Circuit cases that were being appealed, Gill v. Office of Personnel Management and Massachusetts v. United States Department of Health and Human Services.{{cite news | work=MetroWeekly | url=http://metroweekly.com/poliglot/2012/02/sldn-doj-agree-to-60-day-delay.html | author=Chris Geidner | title=SLDN, DOJ Agree to 60-Day Delay in Case Challenging Gay Servicemembers' Spousal Benefits | date=February 16, 2012 | access-date=February 17, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216212841/http://metroweekly.com/poliglot/2012/02/sldn-doj-agree-to-60-day-delay.html | archive-date=February 16, 2012 | df=mdy-all }} On February 17, 2012, the DOJ announced it could not defend the constitutionality of the statutes challenged in the case.{{cite news | work=MetroWeekly | url=http://metroweekly.com/poliglot/2012/02/doj-wont-defend-laws-preventin.html | author=Chris Geidner | title=DOJ Won't Defend Laws Preventing Equal Treatment for Servicemembers With Same-Sex Spouses | date=February 17, 2012 | access-date=February 17, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219223955/http://metroweekly.com/poliglot/2012/02/doj-wont-defend-laws-preventin.html | archive-date=February 19, 2012 | df=mdy-all }} The Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) of the U.S. House of Representatives sought to undertake the defense, and as of May 2012, the parties were disputing BLAG's right to intervene.{{cite news | work=The Wisconsin Gazette | url=http://www.wisconsingazette.com/breaking-news/boehner-moves-to-defend-anti-gay-doma-in-military-case.html | title=Boehner moves to defend anti-gay DOMA in military case | date=May 4, 2012 | access-date=June 13, 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209080712/http://www.wisconsingazette.com/breaking-news/boehner-moves-to-defend-anti-gay-doma-in-military-case.html | archive-date=February 9, 2013 | df=mdy-all }}