TODAY: Veterans Lobby Day on DADT

All hands on deck! Today is Veterans Lobby Day for ending Don't Ask/Don't Tell, the military's gay ban. Hundreds of veterans are gathered in DC to ask Congress and the President to repeal DADT this year, and supporters around the country are doing a national call-in.

Nearly 14,000 Americans have been abruptly fired from the U.S. military because of Don't Ask/Don't Tell – including more than 800 mission critical specialists, and Jene Newsome, an Alaskan stationed in South Dakota.

Senator Begich supports the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, but Rep. Young made some absurd comments about it and Sen. Murkowski has not given her opinion. Does she think gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve honestly in the military? Let's find out.

Please give your voice to those who must be silent. Get the repeal of Don't Ask/Don't Tell over the finish line in 2010.

1. Call the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121, tell them where you live, and ask them to connect you to your Representative's office. Tell the staffer who picks up: your name, where you're calling from, and that you're "calling to support the Veteran's Lobby Day and urging Congress to repeal 'Don't Ask/Don't Tell' this year."

2. Call the Congressional switchboard 2 more times asking for your Senators, and leave the same message.

3. Then call the White House switchboard at (202) 456-1111 and urge the President to lead the way this year by adding the "Don't Ask/Don't Tell" repeal to his current defense budget, which is being written this month.

This lobby day is one of our last chances to speak out before Congress takes action on the National Defense Authorization Act, the bill that should contain the "Don't Ask/Don't Tell" repeal language.

That means it's crunch time. Whether you're a veteran, a friend or relative of a service member, or simply someone who believes in equality, make that call and add your voice to our fight to end "Don't Ask/Don't Tell."

If you are a veteran in Alaska who supports the repeal and are willing to speak out, please contact Alaskans Together, a co-sponsor of Veterans Lobby Day.

Repeal DADT this year!