A Veteran's Day Tribute to Out Servicemen

When I tell people I'm an Army veteran, I always get the same reaction. Their eyes widen and they utter an incredulous "You?"

I've learned not to take it as an insult.

When I joined the military, DADT had not yet been implemented (yes, I'm that old), but it was in full swing by the time I left. Not that it would have mattered either way for me. Whether someone had asked me point blank if I was gay, or someone investigated me with "suspicions", my response would have been the same: "No, I'm not".

Why would I have lied? Because I was young, stupid ... and afraid. Afraid of being kicked out, afraid of being found out. Just afraid.

On this Veteran's Day, I'd like to pay tribute to a few men who aren't afraid. Men who've served the country honorably and with courage. Men who, because they dared to tell the truth, have lost their military careers.

Above you can see Darren Manzella in a new interview in which he discusses the events that led to his decision to publicly come out, which led to his eventual dismissal under DADT (after the military had looked the other way concerning his sexuality in order to use his medical talents in the war, of course.)

Above you can see Dan Choi and his historic announcement on The Rachel Maddow Show. Those three little words "I am gay" were a brave and life-changing declaration.

Above you can see Victor Fehrenbach, a veteran with 18 years of experience who, because of a false allegation, found his military career terminated.

Of course these three men (who are far better soldiers than I could ever have hoped to have been) are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how unfair and nonsensical the military is when it comes to gay service members.

I can't let this Veteran's Day go by without acknowledging trailblazer Leonard Matlovich. His grave at the Congressional Cemetery should be a must-see for anyone still debating this issue, and his tombstone is a devastating reminder of how far we still have to go.