by The American Military Partner Association | Sep 1, 2016 | Blog |
From September through December, service members and federal employees can participate in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) — the official workplace giving campaign of the Federal government. Over the past 55 years, service members and federal employees have contributed more than $8 billion to non-profit charities through the program. This year, you can once again donate through CFC to the American Military Partner Association. By pledging your support using our code #33410, you’ll make a direct impact in our work connecting, supporting, honoring, and serving the partners, spouses, families, and allies of America’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) service members and veterans. With your financial support, we are able to continue our mission in education, advocacy, and support for our nation’s modern military families. Find our more here about how we put your hard-earned money to work supporting our military families. As a 100% volunteer non-profit organization, we’re building strong resource and support networks like no other, and we are proud to have the financial support of those who believe in our mission. So don’t forget: Use code #33410 to donate to AMPA through this year’s CFC! When is the 2016 campaign? The campaign runs from Sept. 1 – Dec. 15, 2016. Who can donate through CFC? Military personnel, federal workers, retirees, and government contractors are eligible to donate to the CFC. How can a donor make a pledge to the CFC? Pledges can be recurring or one-time donations and are made online or by paper pledge form. Contact your unit’s or agency’s CFC representative to make your pledge. Want to donate to AMPA outside of CFC? You can...
by The American Military Partner Association | Aug 31, 2016 | Blog |
Imran Yousuf, who saved over 70 lives during the Pulse Nightclub massacre, to receive the AMPA Community Hero Award The American Military Partner Association is pleased to announce that Imran Yousuf of Orlando, Florida, will be honored with the 2016 AMPA Community Hero Award at the inaugural AMPA West Coast Gala on Saturday, September 17, 2016, in San Diego, California. Yousuf, a recent Marine Corps veteran, is widely credited with having saved more than 70 lives during the worst mass shooting in United States history at the Orlando LGBT nightclub, Pulse, in June. “Imran represents the best of America and the best of America’s military community, as evidenced by his quick and heroic actions amid the chaos and carnage of the tragedy in Orlando,” said AMPA President Ashley Broadway-Mack. “While he humbly may not consider himself a hero, his courageous actions in the face of mortal danger that saved the lives of more than 70 of our LGBT brothers and sisters say otherwise. He is certainly a hero to our community and to all of America, and we are proud to honor Imran with our 2016 Community Hero Award at the inaugural AMPA West Coast Gala in San Diego.” Early in the morning of June 12, 2016, a gunman who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State entered the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and began the worst mass shooting in American history. By the time the carnage ended, 49 innocent people were dead and an additional 53 were injured in the attack. While the shooting was ongoing, Yousuf, a bouncer at the Pulse Nightclub who had recently finished an...
by The American Military Partner Association | Aug 29, 2016 | Blog |
AMPA is proud to be a community sponsor of the 2016 Out & Equal Workplace Summit. The annual Workplace Summit is where employees and experts from around the world gather to share strategies and best practices to create workplace equality, inclusive of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions. This three-day global conference features hundreds of educational opportunities, including workshops, expert panels, networking mixers, and plenaries with keynotes from prominent thought-leaders within the LGBT and ally community. The Workplace Summit draws more than 3,500 professionals from over 30 countries and all industries to a different city every year. Employees and experts come together to share strategies and best practices to create workplace equality, inclusive of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions. It’s one thing for corporations to have a commitment to creating workplaces that are welcoming and supportive of LGBT employees. But it’s another to develop policies and programs that can lead to equitable work environments. That’s where Out & Equal comes in. They collaborate closely with executives, HR and employee groups at Fortune 1000 companies to ensure that everyone has the knowledge and tools they need to deliver on their commitment to workplace equality. AMPA President Ashley Broadway-Mack and AMPA Communications Director Nick Stone will be at the summit, and they’d love for you to join them there. Find out how to register for the event here. ...
by The American Military Partner Association | Aug 12, 2016 | Blog |
The American Military Partner Association (AMPA), the nation’s largest organization of LGBT military spouses, families, and allies, is thrilled to announce that Aaron Belkin will be honored with the AMPA Distinguished Leadership Award at the inaugural AMPA West Coast Gala on Saturday, September 17, 2016, in San Diego, CA. “Aaron Belkin is a champion of equality for LGBT service members and their families,” said AMPA President Ashley Broadway-Mack. “Through research and persistent advocacy, he is a formidable and scholarly voice at the forefront of the fight to ensure all service members and their family members, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, are treated fairly with dignity and respect. We are proud to honor him with our Distinguished Leadership Award at the inaugural AMPA West Coast Gala in San Diego.”” Join our nation’s LGBT service members, veterans, military spouses, and allies at the incredible event as we celebrate the five-year anniversary of the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) and the recent end to the military’s ban on open service by transgender people. Aaron Belkin is a scholar and advocate who has served as founding director of the Palm Center since 1999. Belkin designed and implemented much of the public education campaign that eroded popular support for military anti-LGBT discrimination, and when DADT was repealed, the president of the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund observed that, “this day never would have arrived (or it would have been a much longer wait) without the persistent, grinding work of the Palm Center.” Harvard Law Professor Janet Halley said of Belkin that, “Probably no single person deserves more credit for the repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’” Belkin summarized the keys to successful advocacy in How We Won: Progressive Lessons from...
by The American Military Partner Association | Aug 9, 2016 | Blog |
The University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) are undertaking a joint project studying the behavioral health needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) active duty service members. The study is one of the first Department of Defense-funded projects of its kind. Investigators from the USC School of Social Work’s LGBT Health Equity Initiative and Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families, along with investigators from the Department of Social Welfare in the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, will join forces to conduct qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys with LGBT service members from each of the four military branches (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines). An expert advisory panel comprised of leaders in the military and in LGBT health will help guide this project, including AMPA Director of Research & Policy, Dr. Lori Hensic. Understanding the issues faced by LGBT service members is important because it helps the military develop programs to address the health needs among individuals in our community. In addition, understanding the needs of LGBT service members will enhance the performance of the military overall through improved unit cohesion. Participation in the study is completely voluntary, and all service members must provide verbal consent before enrolling. The study team will not gather personally identifying information, and any information they collect from service members will remain anonymous. For participating, off-duty service members will be eligible to earn gift certificates to Amazon.com. How To Enroll Call 323-510-6277 or email sowkMAP@usc.edu ...
by Carol Eggert | Aug 3, 2016 | Blog |
Delivering a Landmark Event, Wherever Duty Call For over 10,500 athletes from around the world, representing 206 countries competing in 35 sports, the Summer Olympics will mark the culmination of countless hours of grueling, physical training, fueled by determination and perseverance. These are traits our military men and women know first-hand. The parallels between athletes and those who serve are unmistakable, and during the Olympics, these similarities become stronger still. Our military defenders naturally identify with their drive, both in the physical triumph over the limits of the human body, but also a bond forged by working toward a unified, national goal, one that manifests on a global stage. For those who’ve taken the oath to defend our nations, it is a respite from the reality of conflict and a reminder of the power of unity. That is why I am so pleased that, for the first time ever, United States active duty and retired service members and their families worldwide will be able to view NBC Olympics’ streaming coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympics from their personal computers and devices – all 4,500 hours of coverage. This will be provided at no cost to over 7 million members of the military community by Comcast NBCUniversal, in collaborative partnership with the NBC Sports Group, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Department of Defense Agencies and U.S. cable, satellite, and telco providers. We are bringing the Olympics to our military community when and where they want it. In addition to the national pride and excitement of the Olympics, military members will also be watching some of their own, such...
More Defense News