LGBTQ+ Veterans Speak Out
Today is Veterans Day, a national holiday honoring those who have served in the United States Armed Forces. It is an important day to remember that LGBTQ+ individuals were banned from serving in the military throughout most of our nation’s history. This however did not stop tens of thousands from serving our country with honor and distinction, even though they had to do so closeted or face involuntary discharge. OutFront Kalamazoo asked local LGBTQ+ veterans to share their personal stories about serving in the military.
The U.S. military discharged soldiers for homosexual acts throughout our nation’s early history. It wasn’t until 1921 that the first express prohibition of homosexuality or homosexual conduct was enacted. Those caught would be court-martialed and discharged. However, the mass mobilization and deployment of troops in World War II, meant it became impractical to convene court-martial boards for homosexual conduct offenses. Commanders instead issued a “blue ticket,” a common administrative form of military discharge used primarily to remove LGBTQ+ service members. Blue tickets were also issued disproportionately to discharge African Americans. Intense criticism in the black press ultimately led to the end of the “blue ticket” and establishment of an alternative “undesirable discharge.” In that situation, a servicemember found to be homosexual but who had not committed any homosexual acts received an undesirable discharge. Those found guilty of engaging in homosexual conduct were dishonorably discharged.
Charles A. served in the U.S. Navy during the late 1970s. He shared that “the threat of being discharged was always there. Nothing was open, but we were there. Women could not serve on combat ships at the time and there were definitely gay men on our crew. If I had to guess, I’d say 5 out of the 15 men in my division were gay. But we knew we could not do anything to draw attention to our sexuality. I remember one incident where a crew member was caught sleeping with another man - not having sex, but asleep, sharing a bed. He lost rank and pay; and the irony was, he was reported to command by someone who everyone assumed was gay. Everything was very closeted, and interestingly, I never observed anyone being harassed or bullied for being perceived to be gay.”
Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy - 12.22.10
This generally describes the status quo until 1994 when the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) was implemented; which made it possible for LGBTQ+ people to serve, so long as they did not do so openly. Next month marks the 10th anniversary of President Barack Obama’s signing of DADT repeal legislation that would finally allow LGBTQ+ individuals to serve openly. Yet, so many suffered under that failed policy. There are more than 634,000 veterans in our state, including thousands of LGBTQ+ veterans who served during the DADT period.
Sylvia R., who served in the U.S. Army for 21 years, recounts “I joined the Army in 1982 when gay service members were actively pursued, investigated, and discharged often under less than honorable conditions. Under DADT I breathed only a slight sigh of relief as service members were still be investigated and discharged. My most memorable moment was in 2010 when I was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom serving in Iraq. I remember watching President Obama signing the law allowing LGBT service members to serve openly. I retired five years later but they were five good years!”
Dan W., who served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years, recalled “I was a crew commander at the 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever AFB in Colorado Springs Colorado. At this point in my career I had over 18 years of active duty and had managed to completely separate my personal and professional lives. I never allowed the two to intersect. I lived two completely separate lives.”
Dan continued, “I remember vividly being on the operations floor when a fellow crew commander came to me asked to speak privately. I assumed it was to discuss one of my crew members or an upcoming event, so we went off to a private room. He closed the door and looked at me and said, “I know you’re gay”. I’ll never forget the shock of that moment. I was immediately thrown off guard and I know the look on my face confirmed his accusation. I sat in silence not knowing what to say. My normal air of confidence immediately turned to fear, and I became immobilized. I thought I had perfectly covered my tracks and had successfully led a double life. I feared the retirement I had worked so hard for may be lost when I had only two years left. I feared a reputation as an honorable, hard-working dedicated Air Force Officer would be wiped away and I’d be forced to leave the service I loved in shame. That moment completely shook me.”
It turns out, that the crew commander was somewhat of an ally. “Apparently, someone had seen me at the Denver Pride event over 70 miles away,” Dan continued. “Fortunately for me this fellow officer had a gay brother and he kept my secret and I retired on schedule. I reflect on this often as I think how quickly one incident could have ended my career and how sad it is that this in fact happened to so many of my fellow veterans. I served honorably, who I loved never affected my loyalty, or commitment to my country. I am so thankful DADT is no longer our policy. We can now serve openly and proudly.”
By some estimates, over 100,000 LGBTQ+ veterans were discharged from the start of World War II until the repeal of DADT. These veterans lost their right to both state and federal benefits because they were discharged under less than honorable conditions due to their sexual identity or expression. While progress has been made, the struggle for equality in the military is far from over.
Following the repeal of DADT, the Pentagon lifted the ban on transgender people serving openly in the U.S. military on June 30, 2016. Then on July 26, 2017, the Trump administration abruptly announced a ban on transgender troops serving in the military. It is estimated that as many as 10,000 transgender individuals were on active duty or serving in the guard or reserve forces at the time. Following various legal challenges, the Administration began implementing the ban on April 12, 2019.
President-elect Joe Biden is expected to take quick action on reversing that ban. Until then, here in Michigan, Blaire McIntyre, a transgender woman who served in Afghanistan as a member of the 101st Airborne Division has sued in federal court in Grand Rapids, MI asking a judge to declare Trump’s policy unconstitutional. In a statement, she said:
"My commanding officer, my civilian supervisor and my peers rely on me to give my all every day and I want nothing more than to continue offering my best service. But the transgender military ban means I am not only facing discharge from the Guard, but termination from my civilian job as well. My wife and I are raising two young children, and that loss would be devastating to our family.” You can learn about her case here.
OutFront Kalamazoo knows that patriotism and commitment to service cuts across gender and sexuality. On this Veterans Day we thank these veterans for sharing their stories and are grateful for ALL who sacrificed their safety every day to keep our country safe and secure.
