Police, Fire, Private-Sector Organizations and Colleges/Universities Interviews

NATIONAL SECURITY RESEARCH DIVISION

Dear Chief [Last Name]:

The Department of Defense has asked RAND to conduct research to inform the Department on how best to implement a repeal of the “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy. As a part of that research we have been asked to interview staff at “analogous institutions,” foreign militaries, US intelligence and foreign services, and domestic police and fire departments.

The goal is to learn from your organization’s experience. To that end the focus of the interviews will be on how changes in policies regarding the service of homosexuals have impacted your organization, particularly in the areas of recruiting, retention, and performance. We are also interested in how your department approached management issues related to homosexual employees, and what, if any, policy changes or initiatives related to sexual orientation you have adopted.

Accordingly, I would like to request the opportunity for RAND researchers to meet and interview relevant leaders from your department who could share your organization’s experience to help inform the military’s transition away from Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. We conducted a similar study in 1993, about the same time Congress passed “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” [For departments not included in 1993 study] We conducted a similar study in 1993, about the same time Congress passed “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” OR [For departments included in 1993 study]. Your agency helped us in that previous study and we hope we can use these followup interviews to learn if and how your policies and work environment have changed since then.

I have attached a document outlining what we hope to achieve. The Department of Defense has given us a limited amount of time to conduct this research. We would like to conduct these interviews between June 14 and July 23.

I may be reached at (310) 393-0411 x7734 or e-mail: [email protected]. Thanks very much for your prompt attention to this request.

Sincerely,

Greg Ridgeway, Ph.D.

Enclosure