Veterans Groups Mum on Dont Ask Dont Tell

Why some of the most influential activists in the debate have stayed quiet. You have younger Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and for the most part they tend to be very pro-repeal Jarrod Chlapowski of Servicemembers United a veterans group for gays and lesbians said.  In the absence of veterans groups activism for the law has come mostly from conservative groups concerned about the morality of homosexuality.   The Family Research Council which also works on other gay issues like marriage has planned a webcast to educate its members on the issue Tuesday night.   President Obama and the Senate Democratic Leadership are using this legislation as a vehicle to force open homosexuality in the military the group wrote in an e-mail about the event.   The webcast includes speakers like Elaine Donnelly head of the Center for Military Readiness who has helped fund studies showing that military families dont want to repeal the law.   The actual 1993 law states the homosexuals are not eligible to be in the armed services and there is widespread support for that in the military she said. At the beginning of the debate gay-rights groups prepared themselves for stiff opposition from groups like American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.   Servicemembers and Human Rights Campaign began collecting names and stories from young veterans who back repeal. They brought veterans straight and gay to Capitol Hill and planned to counter any veteran opposition by showing that they too had vets who supported them.   But they may have been overestimated the competition.   I dont think any member of the American Legion that I know of is actively lobbying at this point on Dont Ask Dont Tell David Dellinger chair of the national security panel of the Legion said.   Dellinger leads the panel responsible for researching and proposing resolutions on the policy. He said most members favor the ban.   Legion member Andrew Johnson a Vietnam War veteran and retired Army reserve officer explained why he opposes allowing gays to serve openly.   Like all minorities they will seek to attract others with their point of view to their circle Johnson said. You will discover that people … are given special treatment should they be of a particular persuasion.   But other Legion members especially younger ones dont agree with Johnson. That may be one reason the Legion has focused its grassroots lobbying on less contentious issues like veteran benefits.   Another is that the repeal is expected to pass and the veteran groups may not see this as a viable fight.   The VFW is fully aware that social norms regarding homosexuality have changed Joe Davis of Veterans for Foreign Wars said before warning that the military shouldnt be used for social experiments.   He described his groups approach as wait and see.     Groups like Donnellys and Family Research Council have military veterans in their ranks. But they have much less influence on Capitol Hill than the veterans groups especially among the Democratic majority. Veterans voices are very powerful in this debate Michael Cole of Human Rights Campaign said. Ambreen Ali writes for Congress.org.