It’s Time to Honor Every Veteran
Last week, President Obama issued a proclamation to mark Veterans Day, a “tribute to our veterans, to the fallen, and to their families.” We thank the President for this important acknowledgement, and as veterans, we salute all that he and the First Lady continue to do on behalf of those who have worn the uniform of the United States of America.
From the proclamation: “We offer our sincere appreciation and respect to our veterans, to their families, to those who are still in harm's way, and to those we have laid to rest, let us rededicate ourselves to serving them as well as they have served the United States of America.”
Sadly, our nation’s LGBT veterans and service members are still treated as if their sacrifices to this country are not as deserving as the service of their heterosexual peers. That’s why we joined the lawsuit brought by SLDN recently on behalf of married gay and lesbian service members past and present – and their families – to receive the same recognition, support and benefits as their straight, married counterparts.
Read more about the lawsuit: http://www.sldn.org/Equality4Families
We are the two retired veterans in the law suit, and between us, we have almost sixty years of service. We earned those benefits, and we have families, just like our straight counterparts, who deserve recognition. We have made the same sacrifices, faced the same dangers and taken the same risks as all others who served.
It’s time for our nation to honor every veteran equally.
Captain Darrah (left) pictured with her wife Lynne Kennedy.
Colonel Stewart Bornhoft (right) pictured with his husband Stephen McNabb
11-08-11 By Colonel Stewart Bornhoft, USA (Retired) and Captain Joan Darrah, USN (Retired) |
