OutServe plans help LGB Servicemembers

A new group is on the rise to support LGB servicemembers. They were called, Citizens for Repeal but now, they are OutServe.

MetroWeekly has the story:

Asked how OutServe, formerly known as Citizens for Repeal, can effectively communicate with the Pentagon while the DADT policy is still in effect, Ty Walrod, the group's civilian co-director and spokesperson wrote in an email response to Metro Weekly on Sunday afternoon, "The answer is, they have no choice. Never before has this pressure come from within the military.

"As the first organization of actively serving gay and lesbian troops, we know they will follow our website outserve.org, pay attention to our press releases, and observe the working examples we can provide for units where gay and lesbian troops already serve openly in their units," he wrote. "No more can they say 'activists' want this; they now have to deal with actual troops."

Co-Director JD Smith, an officer who goes by his initials to protect his privacy, said in a statement, "Active duty and reserve gay and lesbian troops have been critical to the nation's defense, but almost completely absent from the conversation. We're fixing that."

Metro Weekly spoke with Walrod on Sunday afternoon in advance of the group's Monday announcement.

"I'm the only civilian member [of the group]. They obviously can't speak out without outing themselves publicly," Walrod said. "I saw the need for the active duty to have a voice."

About the group, which his primarily organized via Facebook and claims to have 450 active duty servicemembers as members, Walrod said, "It's all private. We absolutely have a critical mass. This underground does exist. And this group, our intention really is to provide a voice for them until they can speak for themselves."

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