LGBT orgs. recognize discharged LGBT service members on National Mall

As a tribute to the approximately 12,000 service members discharged from the U.S. military under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, a coalition of LGBT organizations will place 12,000 American flags on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., from Nov. 30 through Dec. 2.

Alex Nicholson, founder of Servicemembers United and a former Army linguist discharged shortly after 9/11 under the policy, told reporters during a telephone press conference that his organization conceived of the demonstration as a way to show the tangible costs of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to the military and to the United States' national security. Servicemembers United, formerly known as Call to Duty, made headlines last year by organizing a speaking tour of service members discharged under the policy, many of them veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"As you all know the fourteenth anniversary of the signing of the law that led to my discharge and the discharge of 11,714 others, 11.715 total, is this Friday, Nov. 30th. And so we hope to use this event to draw attention to the growing numbers who are being discharged under the law and also to bring other veterans together to get involved in activism, get involved in the movement to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,'" said Nicholson.

Partnering with Servicemembers United on the demonstration are Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Log Cabin Republicans and Liberty Education Forum.

Eric Alva, former staff sergeant in the Marine Corps and the first American wounded in the Iraq war, said that with the upcoming election year it is critically important to bring attention to the issue of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

"With it being a general election this year and one of the more historical elections next year, we have already seen that no matter what happens this policy must be repealed," said Alva.