Pictured: AVER's pink triangle wreath . Rear Admiral Alan Steinman.World War II veteran Ed Zasadil with the American flag. Jarrod Chlapowski. Photos by Tracy Baim and Amy Wooten.
On June 21, Chicago honored LGB veterans in the nation's only municipal salute to those members of the military.
Featuring young, openly gay and lesbian Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who spoke about their experiences in the armed forces, the event was a stark reminder of how much the United States' 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy against LGBT servicemembers openly serving in the military continues to impact not only those who have dedicated their lives, but the security of the nation.
The event's keynote speaker, Rear Admiral Alan M. Steinman, M.D., U.S. Public Health Service/U.S. Coast Gaurd ( retired ) , the highest-ranking openly gay retired U.S. military officer, reminded the crowd gathered in Richard J. Daley Plaza that patriotic LGB servicemembers are currently serving in every branch of the nation's military.
'The infamous 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law requires them to serve in silence,' Steinman said, adding that those serving live in constant fear of being discovered and, worse, possible harrassment and violence.
'It's really courage and committment to duty that counts, not sexual orientation,' he continued.
Since he has come out, Steinman said that he has met many LGBT?people actively serving—even openly—without any problems. ''Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is unneccesary and harmful to our nation's security,' he said. ''Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is outdated and unnecessary, and now, more than ever, Congress needs to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and let their servicemembers serve in honor and dignity.'
According to Steinman, every year between 3,000 and 4,000 servicemembers voluntarily leave the military because they are tired of living a lie and living in fear. This number adds to the number of servicemembers discharged under the policy every year. There are an estimated 65,000 LGB?servicemembers currently serving their country.
Former Marine Antonio Agnone, 27, is one of those unreported, silent numbers Steinman spoke of. Agnone was a trained explosives engineer, and served in Iraq in 2005-2006. Agnone, who planned on making a career out of the U.S. Marine Corps, discontinued his service in the Marines once he realized that, under DADT, his partner would never be notified if he was killed in combat. 'It was the hardest decision I've made in my life,' he said. He now works with the Human Rights Campaign, speaking out against the policy.
Jarrod Chlapowski. U.S. Army, a Korean linguist who also chose not to re-enlist because of the policy, was out to his unit while he served. At first, he had nobody to talk about his sexuality because of DADT, but after a while, decided to come out to his unit and serve openly. 'I was met with warmth and acceptance every time,' he said. Because of his honesty, he said, cohesion, morale and training effectiveness were not impacted and, in fact, most likely improved. However, as he witnessed more and more discharges under DADT, he became paranoid, and the policy became an 'overbearing cloud which became a cancer on my re-enlistment.'
Another of those invisible numbers is Julianne Sohn of the U.S. Marine Corps, an open lesbian who, while serving as a U.S. Marine Corps public relations officer and Marine reserve, realized 'some things aren't worth sacrificing.' She described that a lot of her fellow officers were fully supportive of her. 'The attitudes are changing,' she said. 'My friends gave me hope that all the sacrifices we made were not in vain.'
Unlike the other young veterans on stage, Alexander Nicholson of the U.S. Army was honorably discharged under DADT just six months after 9/11, having been outed by a fellow servicemember. After years of silence following his discharge, Nicholson launched the Call to Duty Tour in 2006 in order to put a face on the DADT issue. He speaks five languages now, including Arabic, but cannot re-enlist under the policy. ''Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is an insult to me,' he said. 'It's an insult to everyone on this stage. It's an insult to our country and our men and women in uniform.'
Members of the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus as well as the band BETTY performed. Following the program, a wreath-laying ceremony took place, with TAPS performers by Lakeside Pride Freedom Band members Melissa Terrell and Susan Jones.
