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Dear VoteVets.org Supporter,

Today, I'm writing you for the first time as Interim Chairman of VoteVets.org with an urgent action item.

We need all veterans and non-veterans alike to join with us and the Courage Campaign in a petition to Senators Reid, Levin, McConnell and McCain immediately, demanding that they pass the Defense Authorization Bill with a repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. Congressman Patrick Murphy, the leader of a repeal in the House, will deliver your signature -- and more than 600,000 other signatures collected in support of repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to the Senate.

I want to make it very blunt and clear – if a repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell isn't passed in the lame-duck session of Congress, it is in serious trouble. So, you need to take action, right now.*
* [ http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/DADTVets ]*
CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION* [ http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/DADTVoteVets ]

This is an issue I've personally dealt with. In the Marines, one of my proudest moments was being one of the first to successfully defend a gay Marine from being discharged from the service. I've seen – first-hand – how keeping this policy in place hurts the military. Here are the facts:

* A military review of troops reinforces the findings of our own poll of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. Specifically, three-quarters of those in the military are fine with gays serving openly. It simply isn't an issue to those serving.


* A repeal will happen in a way that the military itself implements, and on its own timeline. Congress only will authorize a repeal, not dictate its implementation. That's why Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has urged Congress to pass it.


* We have discharged thousands of able troops under Don't Ask Don't Tell, with a particular focus on the kind of troops we need most right now – those who serve as translators. Translators don't just help our men and women in the field communicate with the population, translators also serve as intelligence officers, helping to thwart potential terrorist attacks. Under Don't Ask Don't Tell, hundreds of them have been kicked out of the military.


* Investigating claims that someone is gay takes up precious resources. It means officers have to spend their time conducting an investigation, instead of spending their time trying to defend America. It means millions of dollars, overall, are spent to conduct investigations, instead of that money going towards badly needed equipment.


When you strip all the rhetoric away on this issue, it comes down to this: We need to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell to make our military stronger. And, those who oppose a repeal are doing so for purely political reasons – not because of any legitimate care for the military. But, unless you speak up now, and put your name on the line, politics will beat out sound policy. You cannot let that happen. [ http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/DADTVets ]*

**CLICK TO SIGN THE PETITION* [ http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/DADTVoteVets ]

Let's make a repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell a reality. Thanks for your support.

Sincerely,
Ashwin Madia
Iraq War Veteran
Interim Chairman, VoteVets.org


Paid for by VoteVets.org Action Fund


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VoteVets.org

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