SLDN received a record 170 requests for help between January 1st and March 1st, a thirty percent increase over the same period in 2002, when the group fielded approximately 119 such requests.
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| "Through the generous support of our members, we have built an in-house legal team that provides a critical lifeline to our clients." |
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“We project receiving a record 1,100 calls for assistance during the 2003 calendar year,” said SLDN Executive Director C. Dixon Osburn. “As long as our military continues to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, SLDN will remain on the frontlines, providing zealous legal assistance to our clients.”
SLDN’s legal team includes two full-time staff attorneys and a legal director, who field an average of twenty-five new calls for help each week. Last year, the organization’s legal staff responded to 913 requests for assistance, and has seen demand for its services increase each year throughout its ten year history.
Since 1993, the organization has provided direct legal assistance to more than 4300 men and women. In January, SLDN also announced its first policy position, and an increased focus on policy and grassroots activism aimed at repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
“From the very first day, we have worked tirelessly to provide free legal services to those harmed by the military’s anti-gay policies,” said Osburn. “Through the generous support of our members, we have built an in-house legal team that provides a critical lifeline to our clients. Our assistance is always available to those harmed by ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’”
Military personnel who are harassed, thinking about coming out to their command or have other questions related to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy can receive free, confidential legal counseling by calling (202) 328-FAIR or by emailing legal@sldn.org .
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