Executive Director of SLDN Steps Down After Epic DADT Fight, Will Continue Fighting for LGBT

DADT was the official United States policy regarding homosexuals serving in the military; the policy lasted from December 21, 1993 to September 20, 2011.

Following the repeal of DADT, gay service members are able to serve the military openly. However, things are far from equal. Spousal benefits are still denied to homosexual members, but heterosexual members are eligible to receive them. As well, transgender members are not able to serve openly.


Sarvis was quoted as saying in a recent interview with The Advocate: “It's not easy to leave SLDN. But there comes a time to move on, and this feels right. I think the next phase of the battle can be reinvigorated with new blood, new energy. For me, it was certainly a historic time to be here. I was honored to have been here during the fight.”

SLDN filed a lawsuit against the federal government in October, demanding benefits equality for homosexual service members and their same-sex spouses. Major issues addressed in the suit include medical care and housing benefits. The government has until the end of February to respond to the suit. Per the Defense Department, homosexual service members cannot receive these benefits under the provisions of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Sarvis, per The Advocate interview, feels that the DOJ will not defend the DOMA portion of the suit; this has been done on numerous occasions in legal challenges to the 1996 law throughout the country.

Sarvis was also quoted as saying: “The job that the Pentagon and the commanders in the field are doing on implementation is first-rate," he said. “We have no major beefs there. However, we felt compelled to bring this litigation. I believe that the Pentagon wants to do the right thing by all service members, including gay and lesbian service members, who are legally married in one of those seven jurisdictions” which allows marital equality.

Sarvis served in the Army right out of high school for three years, and then studied to become an attorney. He also managed an independent consulting firm before joining SLDN. He served as an executive vice president at Verizon, managing public policy and legislative functions. He also served as chief counsel to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in the late seventies and early eighties.

Richard Socarides, former president of Equality Matters and a White House special assistant during the Clinton administration, was quoted as saying of Aubrey: “Here's a former corporate lobbyist, who had been very genteel in his approach, but was radicalized by a process in which many people felt we weren't being heard and weren't being taken seriously. The greatest thing about Aubrey is that he was in it for the right reasons. He did not care about his own reputation. He did not care about what dinner parties he'd be invited to, and he wasn't worried about what job he was going to have when he was done. He was completely focused on the mission.”

So, what's next for Sarvis? Though he's not entirely sure, he'll continue to fight for equal rights; he'd like to see increased LGBT representatives on corporate boards, as well as support veterans of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

DOMA was enacted September 21, 1996. The federal law defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. Under the law, no U.S. state (or other political subdivision) may be required to recognize as a marriage a same-sex relationship considered a marriage in another state. The law passed both houses of Congress by large majorities and was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on September 21, 1996.

According to information at the organization's website, “(SLDN) is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services, watchdog and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.” The organization, established in 1993, offers free legal services to active members of the military, as well as veterans.