SACRAMENTO , CALIFORNIA - Yesterday, U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Phillips issued a three-page worldwide injunction calling for the Department of Defense (DoD) to suspend all investigations and discharges related to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy. This development comes weeks after Phillips’ ruling that the policy is unconstitutional, going against the First and Fifth Amendments. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is expected to appeal the decision which will carry the case up the Court of Appeals of the Ninth Circuit.

Sacramento Valley Veterans (SVV) member, Anthony Loverde, provided testimony in the bench trial held in southern California in July this year. The Log Cabin Republicans filed the lawsuit back in 2004. Loverde recently released “A Silent Force” which visually documents the impact of DADT on servicemembers.

SVV Vice President and retired Army veteran Tina Stidman provided the following statement upon hearing the news: “We’re extremely pleased with the judge’s decision; however, we have to keep in mind that this is a step in the lengthy process towards repealing this policy.”

“Judge Phillips’ decision is certainly welcome and needed,” said SVV President Tyson Redhouse, “this policy has taxed the nation and cut short the livelihoods of brave men and women who have willingly taken the oath to defend this nation. We cannot let our leaders take the easy way out on this issue. The thousands of silent serving need to hear that there is progress being made. Phillips’ injunction is one of the many important steps needed to bring this policy down.”

Sacramento Valley Veterans (SVV) is urging servicemembers currently serving not to come out but to wait until DADT is repealed.

Sacramento Valley Veterans is a chapter of the American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER), a nationwide association of active, reserve and veteran servicemembers dedicated to full and equal rights and equitable treatment for all present and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces. For more information on the Sacramento Valley Veterans, visit www.saclgbtveterans.org.