Conquering the World

Underneath my cover, I walk a straight line, returning salutes as I pass. A sergeant salutes and says, “Good morning, Sir.”

A warm glow flushes my cheeks, and I reply, “Good morning!” Closer to work a familiar face draws near and salutes; “Good morning, Ma’am.” A heavy feeling of discontent weighs on me, and I return the salute with the grudging reply, “Good morning.” Read More

#DONEwithDOMA: Meet Dan and Lt. Gary Ross

By Dan Ross

I am married to Lieutenant Gary Ross. He graduated from high school a year early and he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1995 at the age of 17. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) was already in effect and the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) went into effect the following year. After a few years, Gary decided to become an officer and he received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. He began school in 1998 and I met him on a dating website in 2000. We have been in a committed relationship for over 13 years. Gary graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2002 and his class was the first class to graduate into war after the terrorist attacks on 9/11. He has been assigned to several ships and he is currently the Combat Systems Officer on U.S.S. ANCHORAGE (LPD 23) in San Diego.

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Love and Marriage: What About Transgender Military Partners?

In the past few months, same sex military partners have been part of the collective American conversation. When the Fort Bragg Spouse’s Club resorted to naked discrimination and active condescension to keep Ashley Broadway out, it was splashed all over the news. When Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta extended as many benefits as possible to married same sex partners under the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the LGB community celebrated. When the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the constitutionality of Article III of DOMA, the plight of same sex military couples was front and center in the reasons for striking the law down. Read More

Hiding Behind the Mask

A new name and a new beginning is where I thought I began my journey. Along the way, I realized that sacrificing my honor was not worth the facade I built. I found a way out and was nearly ousted for following my true self. Read More

Message from Our Director of Chapter + Member Services

I have the pleasure of introducing myself as I begin duties as the new Director of Chapter and Member Services. I am very excited about this position, which I am assuming after proudly serving a 26-year career in the U.S. Army. I cannot think of a more important and meaningful way to continue to serve others than to work on behalf of LGBT service members, veterans, and our families. I am very grateful to have this opportunity and I look forward to working closely with each of you as we continue to advance the important work of OutServe-SLDN. Read More

Mission First, People Always (except if you’re gay)

Our military’s mantra of “mission first, people always” is being stymied by a law — one that’s been declared unconstitutional by three federal district courts. Arguments before the Supreme Court in March reiterated that the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is itself indefensible. Significantly, the points presented exposed the unintended, and still widely unrecognized, detrimental consequences that DOMA has on national security because of the serious harm it causes to our military and their families. Read More

Deployed While Trans: The Rachel Bolyard Story

Rachel Bolyard looks pretty much like most of the other contractors who have spent most of the past decade living and working in the CENTCOM AOR. She’s prior military, having spent seven years in the Army from 1988 through 1995 … Read More

Impatient for Equality

Last week, an editorial ran in USA Today with a photo of my wife Penny and me getting married at the West Point Cadet Chapel (and has been removed after publication). The editorial was the latest in a set of arguments from the anti-marriage-equality side suggesting that they hold no malice in their hearts towards gay people; it’s not about hate at all, it’s about… well, the arguments keep shifting. There seems to be a growing recognition that just citing the Bible doesn’t work anymore since we remembered that we don’t make our laws based on what some people believe about the Bible. And there is solid Biblical scholarship out there that the Bible doesn’t actually condemn loving adult gay relationships. Read More

From the Board: Shaping the Military Perspective on DOMA

If we are to honor the service of all our military families and maintain the finest fighting force this world has ever known, DOMA must be repealed.Read More

From the Director: DOMA’s DAMAGE

On Sep. 20, 2011, tens of thousands of gay and lesbian service members awoke to a new reality: Their continued service in defense of this country would no longer be contingent on a willingness to compromise their integrity and lie about who they were. It was an enormous accomplishment, one that was decades in the making. But the gains of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) were, unfortunately, limited. Read More