Recently,
while on a visit to Washington DC, I was informed by a
young, obviously “caught up in the moment” veteran that
my service in the Navy was “old news” and only what
happens “right now is of any importance” or “has any
relevance to current events.” Needless to say, I don’t
quite share his opinion nor do I consider myself “old”,
by any stretch of the imagination! He continued his
enthusiastic lesson by saying that the “young crowd” is
making the recent changes in military policy possible!
As he spoke enthusiastically pointing out the most
recent heroes of the DADT era, I could not help but
think that it was terribly unfortunate for this young
man to suffer from tunnel vision. Yes, it is certainly
true that many fine, dedicated young activists have been
(and will continue to be) instrumental in the campaign
to address and change military policies that affect
LGBTQ service persons, but frankly, it is astonishing
that some people seem to forget that they – and their
achievements -- stand on the shoulders of pioneers and
patriots who served in silence and sacrificed much …
some even giving their very lives in defense of this
nation. Today’s pending victory over a history of
discrimination is the result of years, more correctly,
decades of efforts, demonstrations and resistance
to discrimination by those whose military careers might
be considered “old news.” Without the combination of
these efforts, both “old” and “new”, neither the change
in public opinion nor the pending repeal would be
possible. And, as I reminded my young fellow veteran,
it’s important to realize that today’s “new” will surely
be tomorrow’s “old!”
In
speaking to nearly 30 veterans who were discharged
between 1976 and 1993, I found that there are common
threads that unite their stories and lives. There are so
many commonalities in their experiences: The anguish
caused by the government that they served and the long
lasting after-effects of trauma caused by the discharge
process. Without exception, each veteran with whom I had
spoken was obviously proud to have served their country;
each one excelled in the performance of their duties;
each one wanted to be able to make the military a
career… and unfortunately, each one had an untimely and
unpleasant end to his or her career. Yet, in spite of
the treatment that many had received at the hands of the
Naval Investigative Service or Office of Special
Investigations, almost all of the veterans with whom I
had spoken would gladly return to service if given such
an opportunity. Unfortunately, due to age, health, or
physical limitations, that desire cannot become a
reality, leaving many with a sense of renewed loss and
rejection.
As I
mentioned above, a common thread that I readily noted as
I spoke with veterans discharged under DOD policy
1332.14 (Enlisted Administrative Discharge Policy for
Homosexual Behaviors) is the long-lasting effects of the
trauma related to their discharges. In many instances,
the deplorable and questionable tactics used by the
military investigating agencies were unnecessary, brutal
and emotionally/psychologically draining. The emotional
scars that many discharged veterans bear is a black eye
on the Armed Forces and, more importantly, the
government of this nation. In case after case, once the
veteran was discharged, he or she was left to their own
devices… As I listened to the veterans speak, the
analogy of someone being thrown from a moving car came
to my mind. In spite of the abrupt and punitive nature
of the discharge, not a single instance of aftercare or
follow-up was provided to the discharged service member
to ensure that they were re-adjusting to life in the
civilian world. The veteran, even if decorated and
honorably discharged, no longer seemed to matter to the
military. From the group of veterans with whom I had
spoken, many were able to re-integrate into the civilian
community with success, but some discharged veterans
spiraled into depression, drug usage and in several
instances, suicide attempts. Not surprisingly, only a
few were aware that they could apply to the Veterans’
Administration for assistance. From my own experience,
and that echoed by the veterans with whom I spoke, it
seems that when the military discharges a veteran for
being lesbian, gay, or bisexual, there is an unwritten
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that the administrative
office follows: If the veteran doesn’t ask about post
active duty assistance, they don’t tell them about what
might possibly be available to them. For many discharged
veterans, this fundamental knowledge is the difference
between successful re-integration or incredibly
stressful challenges as they try to re-adjust to
civilian life. In some cases, the veteran faces the
added duress or humiliation of a DD-214 that states
“homosexual” as a reason for separation and an RE-4 code
that, oftentimes, is assigned to those who are convicted
of criminal acts thereby preventing them from
re-enlisting in the armed services.
Hopefully,
with the pending repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,
members of our armed forces will no longer be subjected
to this cruel and unnecessary treatment, and the
investigative body of the armed forces will focus on
“hard targets” rather than “soft targets” such as LGBTQ
service persons who have been so highly favored by
overly eager investigators for far too long. I hope,
once the repeal of DADT is finally in effect, that those
who have received RE-4 re-enlistment codes can
successfully petition the military service’s bureau of
records to have that code removed from their DD-214. Our
service was honorable. our discharge documentation
should reflect the quality of our service, not provide
an additional sting of humiliation.
Recently, I read a powerful statement by Cpl. Evelyn
Thomas, one of the Equality 13 demonstrators who were
arrested in November, 2010 for handcuffing themselves to
the gates of the White House. After appearing in a
Washington DC Court Room on May 10, 2011 she stated,
“I
am on record as an open Lesbian educator...anything else
is minor in this world. I am relieved that it is over. I
have learned that you cannot depend on other activists
or activist organizations for assistance. I have learned
that if you are called, if you are chosen by some
unknown force to fight (I mean literally to fight) for
yourselves and others, then you do it alone. I continue
on every day, refusing to bend. I am tired, very tired.
I will rest when I die. Until then, I continue on,
continue to walk with integrity. How many activists can
say that?”
Cpl. Thomas’ statement is a powerful reminder to each of
us that our struggle for equality is far from over. As
such, neither the movement for equality nor our
community can afford to lose such an active, dedicated
and visible champion such as Cpl Thomas to apathy,
politics or indifference.
It’s true: Our threads may wear and fade over time, but
they are an ever-present and strong reminder that we are
part of this world. We have made our mark and no one can
take away or deny our contributions, acts of heroism, or
the impact we have had on the lives of those around us.
As the story continues to be written, may we take time
to remember and honor our veterans, past, present and
future; May we remember and support our active duty
service members; And may we remember and become, whether
we are “young” or “old,” effective and tireless
advocates for equality.
May we fight the good fight till equality is achieved.
Phillip Zimmerman has written new book “For
the Convenience of the Government”
© 2011 Gay Military Signal
