Our Whole Self And Whole Story: Honoring My Friend and Hero Major Alan G. Rogers
By Tony Smith
Major Alan Rogers;Photo: US Army
Here I am, March 14th, 2008, standing on a hillside overlooking the solemn rows of white crosses dotting the hillside against the sunny blue sky. With a cool preceding Spring breeze blowing against my skin I stand at attention watching the Military Honor Guard take the flag draped casket of my friend Major Alan G. Rogers, USA, from the hearse and leisurely lift him up upon the horse drawn Caisson for the full military honors burial procession. This is the last place I expected to be on a heated early spring time, saying goodbye to my friend Alan at his burial in Arlington National Cemetery. But here I am, along with about 200 of his friends, family, community members, Army and other military and DoD colleagues to utter goodbye and honor our friend, a true patriot that gave the ultimate sacrifice, his animation, while serving in Operation Iraqi Autonomy. Alan was killed on January 27th, 2008 while on foot patrol when an IED exploded nearby. I had just spoken with Alan by email the day before on January 26th, and he was looking forward to seeing his friends
The Army Made Her Plead Guilty or Face Prison for Being Gay. She’s Still Paying the Price. LGBTQ veterans and advocates want justice for discrimination and are frustrated that an upcoming VA alter for so-called bad document discharges may not accomplish that.
In the darkness of early morning, Mona McGuire startled awake. A fist beat on the barracks door. Her heart accelerated into a full gallop, and then the yelling began.
Detectives from the Army’s criminal investigation division had burst into her room. They stripped her bedding, handcuffed her, along with three other female soldiers, and drove them to headquarters for fingerprinting, a mug shot, and hours of questioning.
It was May 1988, and McGuire’s interrogators knew everything—her romantic companion, where she hung out, even her menstrual cycle. Eventually, McGuire admitted that, yes, she had been intimate with women.
It not only ended her Army career at the age of 20, it remains on her record to this day: The military branded McGuire with a biblically archaic crime, forcing her to plead culpable to charges of sodomy and an indecent behave to avoid a court-martial and possibly prison.
“I was embarrassed. I was ashamed,” sai
Former Air Force officer Michael Almy's five-year battle to get assist into the military after being discharged for being homosexual is still far from over despite the end of the policy that halted the decorated war veteran's 13-year career and left him curled up on his bathroom floor, crying.
The repeal of "don't question , don't tell" coincides with the most competitive time in recent history to get into the military because of the sluggish economy, and the Defense Department says it has no plans to give priority to those discharged for being queer , even if they still meet the military's age limits, fitness standards and cutoffs for hour out of service.
Many, like Almy, a 41-year-old former Atmosphere Force major, notice the only way back to active-duty as being through the courts.
He and two other discharged officers — one from the Breeze Force officer and one from the Navy — are suing the Justice Department to claim they be reinstated, and they aspire a federal appeals court will assist their efforts by upholding a reduce court ruling last year that declared the law unconstitutional.
Activists believe if the ruling stands it could open the legal doors for a class-action suit or settlement for many o
Hundreds Of Troops March In Gay Pride Parade
About 200 active-duty troops and veterans wearing T-shirts advertising their branch of service marched Saturday in San Diego's gay pride parade with American flags and rainbow banners, marking what is believed to be the first time a military contingent has participated in such an event in the U.S.
Many of the active-duty troops said they were moved to approach out because it is time to end the military's ban on openly gay troops. The protest comes a day after a federal appeals court reinstated the "don't inquire, don't tell" policy but with a caveat that prevents the government from investigating or penalizing anyone who is openly gay.
National Guard member Nichole Herrera, 31, said she didn't think twice about marching, even though the policy is back on the books. She said she was "choked up" several times as she walked down a main thoroughfare in San Diego, a major Navy port.
"This is one of the proudest days in my animation. It's time for it [the policy] to be gone," Herrera said. "I'm a soldier no matter what, regardless of my sexual orientation."
The crowd roared as the group waving military flags and holding placards identifying their mil
SAN DIEGO - Night-long celebrations will mark the last countdown to the historic end of the U.S. military's ban on openly gay troops, and even more partying will seize place once it is lifted Tuesday. But in many ways change is already here.
Countless subtle acts over the past months have been reshaping the military's staunchly traditional culture in preparation for the U.S. armed forces' biggest policy shift in decades. Supporters of repeal match it to the racial de-segregation of troops more than 60 years ago.
For some gay service members, the fear of finding out and reprisals dissipated months ago when a federal court halted all investigations and discharge proceedings under "don't ask, don't tell," while military leaders prepared the armed services for its end.
Several have appear out to their peers and commanders.
A few possess since placed photographs of their same-sex partners on their desks and attended military barbecues and softball games with their significant others. In San Diego, about 200 active-duty personnel — both gay and heterosexual — made up the nation's first military contingency to participate in a Gay Pride rally this summer, carrying banners iden