(New York, NY) Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) today announced UBS, Verizon, and BNY Mellon as the inaugural sponsors of a tribute to former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, who will headline the celebration aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City to mark the one-year anniversary of the repeal of the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. The event - "Celebrating OurHeroes" - will take place on Tuesday, September 18, 2012, and will be the first in a series of high profile events hosted by SLDN across the country during the week to commemorate the first year of open service by America's gay and lesbian service members. The anniversary of repeal is September 20.
"This historic and emotional event presents a unique — indeed, a once in a lifetime — opportunity to reinforce the meaningful part that Admiral Mullen played in the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal process. No one played a more pivotal role than Admiral Mullen in securing the support of Congress and the military for repeal," said Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis.
Members of Congress and observers alike sat transfixed as he testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 2, 2010, at the height of the repeal fight, saying:
"No matter how I look at the issue, I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens. For me, it comes down to integrity — theirs as individuals and ours as an institution."
"We thank our inaugural sponsors - UBS, Verizon, and BNY Mellon - for their strong commitment to equality in our nation's military and for their generous support for all service members and veterans. Admiral Mullen represents the very best American values - integrity, commitment, and service. We are proud to see these employers aligned with him today and demonstrating a deep commitment to full LGBT equality in this country," said Sarvis.
The New York City tribute on September 18 will begin with a VIP reception at 5:30 p.m. The general admission event will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will conclude at 9:30 p.m.
For more information, to sponsor the event, or to purchase tickets, visit www.sldn.org/intrepid2012.
ABOUT SLDN: Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services 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. SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. Since 1993, our in-house legal team has responded to more than 11,500 requests for assistance. To learn more, visit www.sldn.org . 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.
ABOUT UBS: UBS draws on its 150-year heritage to serve private, institutional and corporate clients worldwide, as well as retail clients in Switzerland. We combine our wealth management, investment banking and asset management businesses with our Swiss operations to deliver superior financial solutions. UBS is present in all major financial centers worldwide. It has offices in over 50 countries, with about 37% of its employees working in the Americas, 37% in Switzerland, 16% in the rest of Europe and 10% in Asia Pacific. UBS employs about 65,000 people around the world. Its shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). For more information, visit www.UBS.com and follow on Twitter at www.ubs.com/twitteramericas.
ABOUT BNY MELLON: BNY Mellon is a leading global provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals, offering superior investment management and investment services. In addition, the company responds to the needs of communities by supporting organizations that advance diversity and inclusion and improve the quality of life where its employees work, live and do business through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. CSR at BNY Mellon reflects the company's global business priorities, which emphasize ethics, transparency, operational reliability, stakeholder engagement and talent management. To learn more, visit www.bnymellon.com/csr or www.bnymellon.com/diversity.
