Joe Sestak Comments on Discharge from Air Force of Harrisburg Native Under Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Former 3-star Admiral Renews Call for Executive Order to Halt Dismissals
MEDIA, PA - Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Congressman Joe Sestak released this statement today following the discharge of Air Force Sergeant Jene Newsome, originally of Harrisburg, PA, under the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy (see article below) after police reported her sexual orientation to the military.
"This is a striking example of why the President should issue an executive order to halt these dismissals while we work to repeal this discriminatory policy," said Joe Sestak. "Sergeant Newsome, a nine-year Veteran, played by the rules, but was outed by police officers in South Dakota who, reportedly, saw a gay marriage certificate through the window of her home and called the Air Force. Should we tell the American people that this is a compelling reason for their military to lose an experienced armament specialist who was highly trained at taxpayer expense? A year from now, American service members will no longer be in violation of military policy because of who they are. We cannot continue to expel honorable fighting men and women under a policy we have pledged to repeal."
Joe Sestak -- a 31-year Navy Veteran, former 3-star Admiral, and the highest-ranking former military officer ever elected to Congress -- has been an outspoken advocate of repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
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http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2010/03/former_harrisburg_woman_claims.html
Former Harrisburg woman claims police violated 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' rights
By The Associated Press
March 13, 2010, 3:22PM
Jene Newsome played by the rules as an Air Force sergeant: She never told anyone in the military she was a lesbian.
The former Harrisburg, Pa. woman's honorable discharge under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy came only after police officers in Rapid City, S.D., saw an Iowa marriage certificate in her home and told the nearby Ellsworth Air Force Base.
Newsome, 28, and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint against the western South Dakota police department, claiming the officers violated her privacy when they informed the military about her sexual orientation. The case also highlights concerns over the ability of third parties to "out" service members, especially as the Pentagon has started reviewing the 1993 "don't ask, don't tell" law.
"I played by 'don't ask, don't tell,'" Newsome told The Associated Press by telephone.
"I just don't agree with what the Rapid City police department did. ... They violated a lot of internal policies on their end, and I feel like my privacy was violated."
The "don't ask, don't tell" policy has come under renewed debate after Defense Secretary Robert Gates called for a sweeping internal study on the law earlier this year.
As the review is under way, officials were also expected to suggest ways to relax enforcement that may include minimizing cases of third-party outings. In particular, Gates has suggested that the military might not have to expel someone whose sexual orientation was revealed by a third party out of vindictiveness or suspect motives.
The Rapid City Police Department says Newsome, an aircraft armament system craftsman who spent nine years in the Air Force, was not cooperative when they showed up at her home in November with an arrest warrant for her partner, who was wanted on theft charges in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Joe Sestak was elected to Congress in 2006 after a distinguished 31-year career in the United States Navy, and he is honored to represent the Southeastern Pennsylvania district where he was born and raised. He is a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat from Pennsylvania. During his Navy career, Joe attained the rank of 3-star Admiral, served in the White House as Director for Defense Policy on President Clinton's National Security Council, served in the Pentagon as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, and led a series of operational commands at sea, culminating in command of the USS George Washington Aircraft Carrier Battle Group (30 ships, 100 aircraft, and 15,000 sailors/marines/aviators/SEALs) during combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. In our nation's time of crisis in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, the Navy turned to Joe Sestak to serve as the first Director of "Deep Blue," the Navy anti-terrorism unit formed in response to the attacks. Joe is the highest-ranking former military officer ever elected to either branch of Congress. He graduated second in his class from the U.S. Naval Academy and holds a Master's in Public Administration and a PhD in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University. Joe lives in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Susan, and daughter, Alex, and proudly represents the 7th District, where his mother and many of his seven siblings still reside.
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