Carpenter: A Salute to Retiring SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis

Aubrey Sarvis (rt) with SLDN co-founders and former EDs C. Dixon Osborn and Michelle Benecke at DADT repeal ceremony in DC Dec 2010 (Photo courtesy SLDN)

A Salute to retiring SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis

By: Tom Carpenter, Esq. and former head of the SLDN Board Legislative Committee, Julian Chang, Esq.

Aubrey Sarvis was the right person, at the right time, to lead the fight to repeal the law known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”(DADT). He helped make history through his wise, smart leadership – always one step ahead, with a clear vision and matchless skill.  Now, Aubrey again demonstrates his wisdom, by announcing his decision to step down as the Executive Director (ED) of SLDN at a time when his primary mission has been accomplished. He acknowledges it is appropriate to infuse the organization with new blood to carry on the unfinished tasks, which will truly make all service members equal.

Aubrey’s selection as ED did not occur in a vacuum.

Michelle Benecke and Dixon Osburn founded SLDN in 1993. Over the years, SLDN provided quality legal services to thousands of service members adversely impacted by DADT.  Yet, until 2007 there had been no realistic opportunity under Presidents Clinton and Bush to accomplish repeal of DADT. Nevertheless, through continuous and effective outreach, media, and education by SLDN, and others, the battlefield had been well prepared for the final fight that lay ahead.

Then history opened a window.  Seeing an opportunity in early 2007, the SLDN Board of Directors anticipated that a Democrat stood a good chance of winning the presidential election of 2008.  And indeed, candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, early on in their campaigns, both expressed their intention to repeal DADT.

The opportunity was at hand. To successfully leverage this historic prospect, the fight for repeal would require the leadership and skill set of an individual who had extensive experience dealing with the arcane and often frustrating Congressional legislative process, particularly in the Senate. So in the summer of 2007, as former co-chair of the Board, Tom Carpenter joined three other Board members – Zoe Dunning, Joan Darrah, Cholene Espinosa and staff member Emily Hecht – to form a search committee to select a new ED. Recruiter Joe McCormack assisted in the search.

The arduous process of finding the right person to lead this undertaking took several months. While the committee was able to winnow the field down to three highly qualified final candidates, it was clear to Tom, from the get go, that Aubrey Sarvis was heads and shoulders above the others in the running.  He had the perfect background for accomplishing the mission of securing repeal of DADT.

Longtime SLDN board member and former Marine Capt. Tom Carpenter with Vietnam vet and SLDN ED Aubrey Sarvis at 2011 Outserve Convention (Photo by Karen Ocamb)

Aubrey is a U.S. Army veteran. He had a law degree from American University and had served on the Senate Commerce Committee for 5 years as chief counsel. Leaving government, he took a position with Verizon communications, where, in 14 years, he rose through the company to become Vice President for public policy and legislative operations. A true overachiever, when he left Verizon, he formed his own public policy firm in DC, which had operated very successfully on the Hill for 10 years.

During the interview process, Aubrey came across as an articulate, intelligent, southern gentleman who obviously knew his way around the halls of Congress. Tom wondered why Aubrey would be willing to give up his own highly successful business, and take a very substantial pay cut, in order to lead a nonprofit organization with a very narrow and difficult mission ahead. Aubrey said, “I am at a point in my life where I want to give back to our community and I think that I have the background and experience to make this happen.” He added: “If you hire me, the Board must be willing to mount a national campaign costing millions of dollars to repeal DADT.” Needless to say, that was a daunting challenge.

After the Board interviewed the three finalists, Audrey was the unanimous choice. He had thrown down the gauntlet and now it was time to see if the Board and staff had the right stuff to carry out his challenge of a national campaign.

SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis (Photo SLDN)

Right away, Aubrey asserted his leadership by making major staff changes and turning the annual national dinner into a highly visible and profitable event. He increased fundraising dramatically, attracting major corporate and foundation contributors while helping identify potential board members who had the capacity to make significant financial contributions. The national campaign was underway.

Most importantly, Aubrey changed the emphasis of SLDN from primarily a legal services organization to one with a highly motivated and functional legislative team, as well. This was essential in order to work with congressional and community allies to move any legislation repealing DADT.

Aubrey Sarvis attends a Get Equal-sponsored protest against DADT with former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (c) (Photo courtesy Jeff Malet of MaletPhoto.com)

Aubrey and the staff continued and expanded the annual Lobby Days established by his predecessors and worked closely with the lead sponsors of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (MREA) in the House, increasing cosponsors from 149 in 2007 to 192 in 2010.

He also understood that it was important to personalize this issue. He knew the impact individual stories would have on members of Congress. He expanded the media campaign to educate members of the public, as well as Congress, about the unfairness of the DADT law. Aubrey also learned the importance of social media and use of celebrities to keep the issue on the front burner.  Reaching across generations, Aubrey and the SLDN staff worked with Lady Gaga to raise the awareness of DADT.  Lady Gaga’s appearance at a rally in Senators Collins’ and Snowe’s home state of Maine was significant in motivating younger people to become newly active in the repeal movement.

While there continued to be progress in the House, particularly after Rep. Patrick Murphy became the lead cosponsor of MREA, repeal in the Senate looked to be dead in the water. But it was Aubrey’s ability to work with Senate staff members, as well as key Senators themselves, which led to the eventual successful repeal of DADT. That is a great story.

Aubrey Sarvis introduces Zoe Dunning to openly gay Pentagon spokesperson Doug Wilson at 2011 OutServe Confernece (Photo Karen Ocamb)

At the same time that he was working with the Senate to have repeal of DADT included in the National Defense Authorization Act, Aubrey, along with other leaders of LGBT organizations, was meeting with members of the White House staff. For a period of time, Aubrey became a persona non grata because he insisted that repeal include the non-discrimination language contained in MREA, providing protection for LGB service members. Ultimately, this clause was removed in the final legislation, supposedly to obtain the votes to pass repeal out of the Senate Armed Service Committee.

The closing session of the 111^th Congress in December 2010 was a time of high drama. After the Republican landslide in the midterm elections, the window to accomplish repeal was rapidly closing.  Repeal opponents were surly.  Proponents of repeal recognized the urgency of the situation. With the incoming Republican House, if repeal did not occur in the 111^th Congress, DADT would continue to be the law for many more years.

Aubrey would not give up on his mission and worked tirelessly and skillfully with the leadership of both the House and the Senate.  For the first time in modern history, Republicans in the Senate filibustered the National Defense Authorization Act that contained DADT as part of the legislation. With every passing day in December, the window for repeal kept closing, Aubrey continued pressing on. His expertise on procedure, tactics and maneuvering behind the scenes, was relied upon by his partners inside Congress and at allied organizations.  Sensing that it was now or never, in mid December a bi-partisan Congress, led by Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, Harry Reid, Carl Levin and Joe Lieberman and with the brave and critical leadership of Patrick Murphy, was successful in passing the first stand-alone bill for LGB rights in American history. After 17 years, Congress finally repealed DADT.  At every step in this last successful charge, Aubrey Sarvis, and the SLDN staff, were there helping to move this historic legislation forward.

On Dec. 22, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act into law. Aubrey’s mission had been accomplished.

Aubrey Sarvis (highlighted center) after DADT repeal signing on rope line with President Obama in the backgroud (Photo screen capture)

We know, and history will show, that Aubrey is a man of his word. He wanted to give back to his community and that is exactly what he did. He made a big difference.  He helped make America stronger, braver, better.  We are all indebted to him for his dedication to the cause and to our country.

Bravo Zulu, Aubrey.  Thank you, and Godspeed.

Dixon Osburn, founding ED; Paul Boskind, head of Development Committee; Tom Carpenter, former Board Co-Chair; Zoe Dunning, Board Co-Chair; Julian Chang, head of Legislative Committee; Joe Tom Easily, former Board Co-Chair; Michelle Benecke, founding ED; Aubrey Sarvis, ED; Col. Stewart Bornhoft USA (Ret), former Head of Military Advisory Committee; Michael Magee, Board Co- Chair; Paula Niera, former Staff Attorney and Board member; RADM Al Steinman USCG (Ret), Military Advisory Committee member (Photo courtesy Tom Carpenter/SLDN)

Tagged as: Al Steinman, Aubrey Sarvis, C Dixon Osburn, Joe Tom Easily, Julian Chang, Michael Magee, Michelle Benecke, Paul Boskind, Paula Niera, Pentagon Doug Wilson, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, SLDN, Stewart Bornhoft, Tom Carpenter, Zoe Dunning