Veterans Day 2016

My dad was a proud veteran who served not only in World War II but the Korean War as well. He left active service as a Major in the Air Force.

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors all those who served in the United States Armed Forces.

Other countries celebrate Armistice Day and Remembrance Day as well in marking the anniversary of the end of World War I. The date notes the end of World War I, as major hostilities ended at "the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

The purpose of Veterans Day is often confused with Memorial Day, a U.S. public holiday in May.

Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day honors those who died while in military service.

This is the 5th Veterans Day that openly LGBT American military members can celebrate with their loved ones. As President Obama nears the end of his 8 years in the highest office in the land, we can thank him and Congressional Democrats for moving us this much closer to equality and allowing proud LGBT Americans to protect the country they love.

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was officially repealed on September 20, 2011.

Deep thanks to all who serve, both past and present, to protect the United States.

Ben Carson: "Deal With The Transgender 'Thing'" Somewhere Other Than The Military

Speaking in Iowa yesterday, GOP White House hopeful Dr. Ben Carson wished aloud that we should "deal" with transgender issues somewhere other than the military.

And, he added, he misses the good old days when gays and lesbians had to be uber-closeted to serve in the U.S. military.

“You know, we have too many important things to do,” Carson said at a “Veterans and Military Town Hall” hosted by the Concerned Veterans for America. “When our men and women are out there fighting the enemy, the last thing that we need to be doing is saying what would it be like if we introduced several transgender people into this platoon.”

“You know, give me a break. Deal with the transgender thing somewhere else,” Carson said before saying he prefers the old “don’t ask, don’t tell” military philosophy that ended in 2011.

Pentagon Statistics Show Rise In Male-On-Male Assault

The Pentagon issued a report today showing a rise in the reports of male-on-male sexual assault between the fall of 2013 and summer of 2014.

Of course, opponents of ending Don't Ask Don't Tell say allowing openly gay men to serve in the military is the cause of the rise in reports.

Wrong.

I'm not so sure there's been an actual increase in such assaults as much as the Pentagon has ramped up efforts to encourage men to come forward.

Statistics show men often never report being sexually assaulted because they don't have confidence in the chain of command. Additionally, there is the social stigma and embarrassment attached to being viewed as "less than a man."

More stats in the short video below.

(h/t JMG)

US Marine Marries Boyfriend From Viral "Homecoming Kiss" Fame

Dalan Wells (L) and Marine Sergeant Brandon Morgan (R)

You may remember this photo above from February 2012, when Marine Sergeant Brandon Morgan was welcomed home by his boyfriend of four years, Dalan Wells, at a Marines Corp Base in Hawaii.

Seeing Wells, Morgan jumped into his boyfriend's arms and the moment was captured for the world to see.

Two days later, after the shot was posted to a Facebook page for Gay Marines, the pic had over 18,000 "Likes," and the couple was famous.

Many felt the pic represented the progress gays and lesbians have made in the military as "Don't Ask Don't Tell" had ended just six months before.

A year after the photo took the internet by storm, Morgan proposed to Wells.

The happy story comes full circle as we get the news that hunky and inspiring couple got married last weekend in Honeoye Falls, New York.

Trailer: "Burning Blue"

Released today in select movie theaters across the country and available on demand at iTunes.

Drawn from the author’s own life, BURNING BLUE explores the concepts of love, friendship and honor in the U.S. Navy when a routine accident investigation turns into a modern-day Witch Hunt.

Synopsis: Following two fatal mishaps involving F-18 jets aboard an aircraft carrier a government agent is placed aboard the ship to determine what may be at the root of these accidents. His mission abruptly changes course when a young sailor reports seeing one of the fleets' top-ranking fighter pilots in a gay club. The suspected aviator and three of his squadron mates and their spouses become the subjects of a deadly investigation entangling them in a web of jealousy and deceit changing their lives forever.

Pentagon: All states now allowing same-sex spouses full benefits

Sec. of Defense Chuck Hagel has issued a statement saying all states are now complying with new post-DOMA/post-DADT rules allowing same-sex spouses of military members to get ID cards in order to claim benefits.

Nine states, including Texas, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi, initially defied the Pentagon by refusing to allow National Guard facilities to issue the ID cards, triggering sharp criticism from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.

Under Pentagon policy that took effect Sept. 3, same-sex military spouses are eligible for the same health care, housing and other benefits enjoyed by opposite-sex spouses.

(source)

First gay marriage announcement at US Coast Guard Academy

Kaitlin Ward (L) and Lauren Bloch (R)

A very cool bit of history was made at the US Coast Guard Academy last week.

From Buzzfeed:

It’s a tradition at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., that when a cadet becomes engaged to be married, the lucky man or woman’s friends will announce the engagement to the entire corps in the wardroom at lunchtime, the one meal that all four years of students eat together.

On Thursday, Dec. 5, the announcement was a little different. “Over the weekend, Cadet First Class Kaitlin Ward got down on one knee and proposed to her longtime girlfriend, Lauren Bloch. This is the first announcement of its type.”

There was a brief moment of silence as the room realized the significance of the announcement — the first in the school’s 137-year history — before the corps of cadets started cheering and whooping for their classmate and her fiancée, the latest couple who had met and fallen in love at the academy.

Post-DADT gift to retiring US Marine from his unit

Posted on Imgur: "Unofficial last day as a Marine. This is my going away gift."

Already viral on reddit.

(h/t JMG)

Dan Choi fined $100 for White House DADT protest

Former US Army lieutenant Dan Choi, who became the face of the movement to end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, has been fined $100 for chaining himself to the White House in 2010.

In May of 2011, the other twelve who took part in the protest pled guilty and received deferred sentences. Lt. Dan was the only defendant to plead not guilty.

Choi, who was discharged from the Army after coming out on the Rachel Maddow Show, faced up to six months in federal prison for his actions.

He will not face any prison time if he pays the fine.

The Washington Post reports:

The guilty finding against Daniel Choi came as the West Point graduate tried to turn the usually staid courtroom of the District’s federal court into a lively venue for protesting his prosecution for his role in the November 2010 demonstration.

In court on Thursday, Choi’s erratic demeanor swung from emotional outbursts at the lectern to belligerent confrontations with a U.S. Park Police officer and the federal prosecutor.

Dressed in a military uniform, Choi paced the courtroom, serving as his own lawyer. “All I want at the end of this day is to return to the U.S. military,” Choi said through tears.

Choi, who is not trained as an attorney, alternated between whispered apologies for his teary breakdowns and loud rebukes of Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela George for failing to refer to him as a lieutenant.

Sec. of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel supports equal benefits for gay/lesbian service members

"I fully support the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 and value the service of all those who fight for our country. I know firsthand the profound sacrifice our service members and their families make, and if confirmed as Secretary of Defense, I will do everything possible to the extent permissible under current law to provide equal benefits to the families of all our service members." - Chuck Hagel, in a letter to Sen. Barbara Boxer.

Some gay servicemembers to have full separation pay reinstated

According to the Windy City Times, some military personnel who had their separation pay cut in half after being discharged for being gay will receive their full pay under a legal settlement announced today.

"There was absolutely no need to subject these service members to a double dose of discrimination by removing them from the armed forces in the first place, and then denying them this small benefit to ease the transition to civilian life," said Laura Schauer Ives, managing attorney for the ACLU of New Mexico. "This decision represents a long-delayed justice to these veterans."

The ACLU's class action lawsuit represented approximately 181 honorably discharged veterans who had their separation pay cut in half because of the discriminatory policy. The total amount of separation pay withheld from those veterans is approximately $2.4 million. The lead plaintiff in the case is Richard Collins, a former staff sergeant in the Air Force who served for nine years until he was discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Collins was stationed at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico before being seen by a co-worker exchanging a kiss with his boyfriend in their car while stopped at an intersection off-base.

The settlement covers veterans who served at least six years and is retroactive to November 2004. Unfortunately, the statute of limitations prevents payments to those discharged earlier.

(via JMG)

First Anniversary of the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell

Commemorating the one-year anniversary of Don't Ask, Don't Tell's official repeal, President Obama said that the end of the discriminatory law has "strengthened" our national security.

A year ago today, we upheld the fundamental American values of fairness and equality by finally and formally repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ Gay and lesbian Americans now no longer need to hide who they love in order to serve the country they love.

It is a testament to the professionalism of our men and women in uniform that this change was implemented in an orderly manner, preserving unit cohesion, recruitment, retention and military effectiveness. As Commander in Chief, I’ve seen that our national security has been strengthened because we are no longer denied the skills and talents of those patriotic Americans who happen to be gay or lesbian.

The ability of service members to be open and honest about their families and the people they love honors the integrity of the individuals who serve, strengthens the institutions they serve, and is one of the many reasons why our military remains the finest in the world.

Study: No negative impact on military from repeal of DADT

As the US celebrates the one year anniversary of the repeal of DADT,  a new study shows that the change has had no negative impact on military readiness, morale, or unit cohesion.

Aaron Belkin and his colleagues at the Palm Center conducted extensive interviews over the past six months with retired generals and admirals, anti-repeal activists, active-duty servicemembers, and watchdog organizations on both sides of the issue, in addition to analyzing the experience of several military units and media coverage. Here’s what the study found about the impact of gay, lesbian, and bisexual troops serving openly:

• Repealing DADT has had no overall negative impact on military readiness, including cohesion, recruitment, retention, assaults, harassment, or morale.
• Greater openness and honesty post-repeal may have actually increased understanding, respect, and acceptance.
• Recruitment has remained robust.
• There has been no increase in violence within units; in fact, many harassment disputes can now be resolved in ways that were not possible when servicemembers could not disclose their sexual orientation.
• Unit morale was not impacted, except on the individual level depending on a servicemember’s personal position on the issue of DADT.
• LGB servicemembers did not come out en masse.

Even among staunch opponents of open service, no evidence of negative consequences to repeal could be found. Any concerns that allowing LGB servicemembers to serve openly was some sort of “social experiment” that would encumber military readiness were unfounded.

Via ThinkProgress

Marines Commandant has seen no problems regarding repeal of DADT

Almost a year after the repeal of DADT, the Commandant of the Marine Corps says that he's not heard of any problems related to the integration of openly gay and lesbian military.

From the Washington Blade:

“I don’t think there is a problem,” said Commandant Gen. James Amos during a National Press Club luncheon in downtown Washington. “I don’t see it. I don’t hear about it.” [snip] “We obey orders,” said Amos. “We do that better than anybody does and we have.” He again noted that he doesn’t “even get a question” about openly gay and lesbian servicemembers from subordinates and other Marines. “I don’t hear anything,” said Amos. “I’m not seeing anything at all, so I’m very pleased with how it’s turned out. I’m very proud of the Marines."

You may remember that General Amos had been one of the most vocal opponents of the repeal of DADT.

BG Tammy Smith becomes first openly gay general

Former Army Colonel Tammy Smith has become the first openly gay flag officer to come out while currently serving in the U.S. military. She was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in a private ceremony which took place today at the Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

BG Smith received her stars from her wife, Tracey Hepner.

Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis praised Smith’s leadership and encouraged others would follow her lead.

“It is indeed a new era in America’s military when our most accomplished leaders are able to recognize who they are and serve the country they love at the same time. Brigadier General Smith made history today - not only as an exemplary service member who renders outstanding service to our nation with integrity and honor - but as a proud lesbian acknowledging the tremendous sacrifice her family makes in order for her to serve and advance. This day was long overdue, but I have no doubt more senior enlisted and officers will follow BG Smith in stepping forward smartly with their spouses and loved ones,” he said.

Smith is assigned as deputy chief in the Army Reserve Office of the Chief in Washington, D.C.

Via press release

Bill introduced to provide military benefits to same-sex couples

A bill was introduced Thursday that would provide military benefits to the same-sex spouses and children of gay and lesbian members of the armed services.

Now who could argue with that?

Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democratic member of the the House Armed Services Committee, introduced the bill, which would require the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments to recognize the legal marriages of gay service members.

The Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act of 2012 would change the definition of "spouse" in four sections of U.S. Code.

Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, praised the proposed legislation in a statement Thursday:

"Our nation's senior military leaders and commanders on the ground are increasingly uncomfortable with administering two classes of recognition, support, and benefits for our nation's service members — one of straight service members, and a different for their gay and lesbian peers," Sarvis said. "There cannot be two classes of service members, and this legislation addresses that effectively."

The step follows the official repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" in 2011, which has caused the need for several policies to now be updated to be more inclusive of openly gay service members. Speaking at the Pentagon on Tuesday, Department of Defense general counsel Jeh Johnson said the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" has exposed several inequalities between gay and straight service members that must be rectified.

(via the Advocate)

The Pentagon celebrates gay pride for the first time

Wow. Fantastic and terrific.

How far things have, forgive the use of the word - "evolved."

Just great to see.

Mitt Romney on gay rights - 1994

A letter was published today on the internet that came from then-senate candidate Mitt Romney that was written to the Log Cabin Republicans in 1994.

While we've all heard about Romney's flip-flopping, the letter is kind of stunning in it's clarity of how "then" Mitt Romney supported rights for gays and lesbians - specifically on the issues of gays in the military and ENDA (Employment Non-discrimination Act).

In the letter he promises - if elected - to co-sponsor ENDA and actually broaden the bill to include housing and credit, and the bill to create a federal panel to find ways to reduce gay and lesbian youth suicide.

He goes on to say that, regarding DADT, "it is the first of a number of steps that will ultimately lead to gays and lesbians being able to serve openly and honestly in our nation's military.  That goal will only be reached when preventing discrimination against gays and lesbians is a mainstream concern, which is a goal we share."

Where is this Mitt Romney today?  And what - other than political considerations - would change his mind on these subjects?

 Here's a link to a PDF of the letter.

Staff Sargeant discharged under DADT reinstated

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) announced today that U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant Anthony Loverde, who was discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in 2008, has been reinstated and will return to active duty in May.

Loverde is only the second service member welcomed back to the Armed Forces after the September 2011 repeal of DADT. (Petty Officer Jase Daniels, another SLDN client, was previously reinstated as a linguist in the U.S. Navy.)

Loverde, 31, joined the Air Force at age 20. Before being discharged, he was an expert at calibrating weapons systems and oversaw cargo loads for more than 60 flights into Iraq. “I am honored and humbled to return to the service of my country and the job I love,” Loverde said. “I am grateful to my legal team and all of those in the armed forces who helped to facilitate this reinstatement. I am eager to take the oath and get to work.”

Military academies begin holding first gay pride events

 

More than six months after official repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” gay pride events at military academies are cropping up, the Associated Press reports:

Cadets in uniform at Norwich University, the nation's oldest private military academy, participated Monday in sessions about handling bullying and harassment as part of the school's first gay pride week. The events are believed to be the first of their kind on a military campus.

Until last year, only a select few at Norwich knew of the sexual orientation of Joshua Fontanez, 22, of Browns Mills, N.J., a past president of the student government who quietly laid the groundwork for the school's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Allies Club, which held its first meeting the day the law ended.

"The aspects of my sexual orientation, how that played in the military, that was something I was willing to sacrifice, being open versus serving my nation," Fontanez said. "It's something I feel I was truly called toward and truly loved, so it's great that I don't have necessarily to make that sacrifice."

Similar groups have formed at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

For many of the newly open student leaders, the changes brought by the end of "don't ask, don't tell" haven't overwhelmed, despite the years-long political wrangling that culminated in the policy change.

"It was definitely a big change, but it happened over such a long period of time for me that it didn't seem like that big of a deal," said Coast Guard Academy Senior Chip Hall, 21, of Monterrey, Calif.

The West Point Spectrum, modeled after the Coast Guard organization, is being formed with little fanfare.

"Everyone has been very professional here at the academy," said West Point Cadet Andrew Fitzsimmons, 19, a sophomore from Algonac, Mich. "It's been a very positive environment."