About Us

Palm Center History (1998 - Present)

Blueprints for Sound Public Policy

The Palm Center, founded in 1998, originally was known as the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military [CSSMM]. In 2006, in recognition of a $1 million dollar endowment gift from the Michael D. Palm Foundation, the Center was renamed. In 2011, the Palm Center became a distinct Center under the Williams Institute at the University of California Los Angeles, School of Law.

The Palm Center's research has been cited on the floor of Congress and covered by newspapers and radio and television stations throughout the world. Palm scholars have delivered briefings and lectures at the British Ministry of Defence, the United States Military Academy at West Point, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, the Army War College and the National Defense University.

Featured Publication

A More Perfect Military

Why are politicians so reluctant to question the military? Why do the President, Congress and Courts so often defer to the military's preferences...

Palm Center Blog

	Jeremy Johnson
	July 19, 2011

Toes In The Water: Testing Transition During the Recent Ban on Enforcement of DADT

Jeremy Johnson is a member of the Palm Center staff and recently used the lifting of the stay issued by the Ninth Circuit court (July 6-July 15) to continue his attempt to reenlist after receiving an Honorable discharge under DADT in 2007. These are his observations.

Myths and Facts

What Does the Empirical Research Say about the Impact of Openly Gay Service on the Military?

Research on openly gay service is extensive, and includes over half a century of evidence gathered by independent researchers and the U.S. military itself, as well as the study of the experience of foreign militaries. The U.S. military’s own researchers have consistently found that openly gay service does not undermine cohesion, and the military has repeatedly sought to condemn or suppress these conclusions when they emerged. Yet no research has ever shown that open homosexuality impairs military readiness.