Date: October 8, 2007
Press Contact: Contact: Dr. Nathaniel Frank; 805-893-5664

SANTA BARBARA, CA - Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center, a research
institute at the University of California, issued a statement following
reports of the death of National Guard Specialist Ciara Durkin, a lesbian
service member from Massachusetts who was found dead in Afghanistan two
weeks ago.

"While the facts in this case await investigation, we are concerned about
the ways in which the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy could obstruct
military investigators' ability to obtain a full account of the
circumstances of a gay or lesbian service member's death. Any of Durkin's
friends or colleagues who are gay or lesbian, and who might possess
relevant information, could hesitate to step forward out of fear that
they, themselves, or their peers could be investigated under the current
policy."

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The Palm Center, formerly the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in
the Military, is a research institute at the University of California,
Santa Barbara. The Center uses rigorous social science to inform public
discussions of controversial social issues, enabling policy outcomes to be
informed more by evidence than by emotion. Its data-driven approach is
premised on the notion that the public makes wise choices on social issues
when high-quality information is available. For more information, visit
www.palmcenter.org.