(Washington, D.C.) Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) released the following statement today in response to guidance issued by the Department of Defense related to chaplains and facilities:

'We are pleased the Department of Defense has made it clear that a military Chaplain is allowed to perform any lawful ceremony that is consistent with his or her beliefs and is not required to perform a ceremony that is inconsistent with those beliefs. We are also pleased that access to military facilities will be granted on a sexual-orientation-neutral basis. The guidance issued today strikes the right balance between respecting the faith traditions of chaplains and affording all service members the same rights under current law. This is another logical step in the direction of full equality for gay and lesbian service members, and we hope the Department will continue to move down that path,' said Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis.

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SLDN FREE HOTLINE: Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service members with questions are urged to contact the SLDN hotline to speak with a staff attorney: Call 1-800-538-7418 or 202-328-3244 x100. SLDNs Freedom to Serve: The Definitive Guide to LGBT Military Service, may be found here.

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