Great news! U.S. District Court Judge Ronald B. Leighton ordered the Air Force to reinstate ACLU client and flight nurse Major Margaret Witt, who was discharged from the Air Force in 2006 under the military's unconstitutional "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy.Judge Leighton found, after a six-day trial, that Maj.
Witt's sexual orientation did not negatively impact unit cohesion or morale. In fact, as several members of Maj. Witt's former unit testified at trial, her discharge was "devastating" and "negatively impacted the unit."
"I want to serve my country," Maj. Witt said. "I have loved being in the military-my fellow airmen have been my family. I am proud of my career and want to continue doing my job. Wounded people never asked me about my sexual orientation. They were just glad to see me there."
A decision by federal court Judge Virginia A. Phillips found that DADT had a "direct and deleterious effect" on the armed services. The combination of this and the decision in Maj. Witt's case demonstrates, yet again, the counterproductive and discriminatory nature of the DADT policy.
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