Gay Vets To Lobby White House

A group of 125 gay veterans are scheduled to lobby White House officials on repealing "don't ask, don't tell" next Monday, May 10, at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

The White House has not said who from the administration will attend the meeting, according to Alex Nicholson, executive director of the gay veterans group Servicemembers United, who helped coordinate the event.

Another meeting of 40 gay veterans will also take place Monday at the Pentagon. During that gathering, Nicholson said the vets would provide input to Department of Defense officials as they continue to conduct research into how to implement a repeal of the policy.

"The Pentagon working group is meeting with them to engage them as part of their work," Nicholson said. "That's a not a token, they want to meet with different demographics as a part of their study." The Pentagon's review of how to implement repeal is due out in early December.

Press will not be admitted to either event.

The meetings were scheduled to coincide with repeal lobby days on May 10 and 11 coordinated by Servicemembers United and the Human Rights Campaign in which gay veterans will meet with their legislators.

"Both of these events will provide able participants the chance to meet with key leaders about DADT in advance of the formal Lobby Day program and congressional office visits," read the announcement from the two groups.

Nicholson said he had just received final confirmation for both meetings on Monday.