Is the Defense Dept. in Contempt of Court for Turning Away Gay Navy Vet Who Wanted to Reenlist?

[terrya]

As you probably know, on Tuesday Judge Virginia Phillips issued an injunction barring enforcement of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

The NYT reported that a service member discharged under the policy attempted to reenlist yesterday:

With a briefcase full of commendations under his arm, Omar Lopez walked into an Austin, Tex., recruiting office Wednesday. Mr. Lopez, 29, had served nearly five years in the Navy. He was honorably discharged in 2006 for “homosexual admission,” according to documents he carried. He wanted to re-enlist.

But recruiters turned him away hastily, saying they had no knowledge of any injunction or any change in military policy.

“I like the civilian world, but I miss it,” Mr. Lopez said of the military, as he arrived with a worker for Get Equal, a gay rights advocacy group. “I feel lost without it.”

Now, Dan Woods, lead attorney for the plaintiffs in the Log Cabin case, has written a letter to lead DOJ attorney Paul Freeborne citing the article and noting that this may place the Defense Dept. in contempt of court.

http://www.towleroad.com/2010/10/lopez.html

[elleng]

1. Maybe, and their 'lack of knowledge' should be examined.

GOOD that the attorney is on the case!