Time to Win the Battle
Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.), I salute you for taking this historic step forward on behalf of patriotic lesbian and gay Americans who seek to serve our country with honor and integrity. You have my sincerest personal appreciation. Today, I stand before you with a renewed hope that I may someday return to serve my country in uniform.
What does this journey to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” mean to me? My journey spans more than 19 years and I am 37 years old. In 1991, I began my 12-year career in the Army until I was outed by a co-worker’s wife. I had achieved the rank of Sergeant First Class (E7), been inducted in the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club, and received a number of awards and decorations but that was not enough to keep my command from asking. My options were to provide a statement that I was a lesbian or lie to my command. Silence was the law but to lie was not an option – integrity is an Army value I could not compromise. This decision meant I would lose the chance to retire someday.
During my service I struggled with how to reconcile my Army value of personal integrity and being the leader I wanted to be – I strove to take care of my soldiers, without the ability to share my own
personal experiences during long deployments as other service members could. I could not be a complete person around them, and that affected how fully I could support them. After my “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” discharge, my battle continued in the courts for another four years to show how this law is unfairly applied and continues to exclude qualified Americans from service to their country.
The legislation that was introduced today is a crucial and immediate step that is needed to see “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” come to a final end as well as honor service to this great nation. A sad reality is that as we approach the elections in November repeal may become more difficult. The time to act is now.
All those who believe in freedom should participate in the political process, even if you never were affected by this discrimination. Ask yourself if you want to live in a country that continues to fire qualified personnel, discriminates in recruiting qualified citizens, or wastes precious government funds on firing and retraining personnel for being gay. This is not what I want as a citizen.
My vision is for a bright tomorrow in which my fellow citizens are welcome to serve with integrity and honor -- this is the America I envision. Senator Lieberman and Chairman Levin, thank you for taking this critical step forward.
03-03-10 By Stacy Vasquez, former Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army (1991-2003) |
4 Comments
Comments for this entry are closed.Andy on March 04, 2010 at 10.33 am
Stacy, just stunning and touching testimony ! Thank you so much for it. You have provided a huge boost to traction to finally do away with the evil that DADT truly is.
Joe in Ohio on March 03, 2010 at 11.15 pm
Bill, thanks for posting the bill. I am just curious to see how the military handles reaccessions, since they handed out all sorts of discharges because of DADT offenses. I think if this bill becomes law, that there will have to be class actions to allow folks who received anything less than honorable solely on the basis of DADT to be eligible to return to service.
Bill on March 03, 2010 at 09.56 pm
Correction: Senator Lieberman is not a Democrat, but usually votes with Democrats. What I wrote about Republicans stands.
Bill on March 03, 2010 at 09.47 pm
A copy of the bill can be studied at http://lieberman.senate.gov/assets/pdf/DADT_Bill.pdf
I’m looking forward to a careful analysis by SLDN. As written, it has 13 cosponsors, including some big players. All Democrats so far. It would be great if a couple of Republican Senators, especially those currently carrying military rank, would also sign on.