At a spontaneous gathering of gay veterans and supporters at Minibar on the night of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Jim Darby said, We're grateful to all the people and organizations that have been pushing, knocking on doors on Capitol Hill, from the very beginning, over the 17 years of the policy and in the last few years leading up to repeal. We've had a lot of heroes and a lot of mentors who helped us at the very beginning understand how to approach our elected representatives. And then we went, over and over and over. I can't believe it, I still can't believe that it's happened, that it's real. Darby, a Navy veteran, and his partner, Patrick Bova, are founders of the Chicago chapter of the American Veterans for Equal Rights. The national group has been involved in working for the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell since the policy was signed into law. Text and top photo of William Weeks (HRC) and local supporters at Minibar by Jean Albright, bottom photo of (from left) AVER members Patrick Bova (former ROTC), Jim Darby (former Navy), Jean Albright (retired Air Force), and Marquell Smith (former Marine) by an unidentified photographer. Nina Fernandez and Kevin Boyer of GLAAD Chicago. Photo by Kate Sosin

At a spontaneous gathering of gay veterans and supporters at Minibar on the night of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Jim Darby said, We're grateful to all the people and organizations that have been pushing, knocking on doors on Capitol Hill, from the very beginning, over the 17 years of the policy and in the last few years leading up to repeal. We've had a lot of heroes and a lot of mentors who helped us at the very beginning understand how to approach our elected representatives. And then we went, over and over and over. I can't believe it, I still can't believe that it's happened, that it's real. Darby, a Navy veteran, and his partner, Patrick Bova, are founders of the Chicago chapter of the American Veterans for Equal Rights. The national group has been involved in working for the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell since the policy was signed into law. Text and top photo of William Weeks (HRC) and local supporters at Minibar by Jean Albright, bottom photo of (from left) AVER members Patrick Bova (former ROTC), Jim Darby (former Navy), Jean Albright (retired Air Force), and Marquell Smith (former Marine) by an unidentified photographer. Nina Fernandez and Kevin Boyer of GLAAD Chicago. Photo by Kate Sosin

At a spontaneous gathering of gay veterans and supporters at Minibar on the night of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Jim Darby said, We're grateful to all the people and organizations that have been pushing, knocking on doors on Capitol Hill, from the very beginning, over the 17 years of the policy and in the last few years leading up to repeal. We've had a lot of heroes and a lot of mentors who helped us at the very beginning understand how to approach our elected representatives. And then we went, over and over and over. I can't believe it, I still can't believe that it's happened, that it's real. Darby, a Navy veteran, and his partner, Patrick Bova, are founders of the Chicago chapter of the American Veterans for Equal Rights. The national group has been involved in working for the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell since the policy was signed into law. Text and top photo of William Weeks (HRC) and local supporters at Minibar by Jean Albright, bottom photo of (from left) AVER members Patrick Bova (former ROTC), Jim Darby (former Navy), Jean Albright (retired Air Force), and Marquell Smith (former Marine) by an unidentified photographer. Nina Fernandez and Kevin Boyer of GLAAD Chicago. Photo by Kate Sosin