COL Margarethe Cammermeyer, USA (Ret.)

Born in Oslo, Norway in 1942 under Nazi occupation, Margarethe immigrated with her family to Washington D.C. in 1951. At 19, she joined the U.S. military and after graduating from college served seven years on active duty and married a fellow military officer. Awarded the Bronze Star for service in Vietnam, she was forced to leave the military after becoming pregnant with her first child. Settling in Maple Valley, WA, she raised four sons and divorced in 1980. When military regulations changed in 1972 and women were allowed to serve in the military with dependents, Margarethe returned to the Army Reserves. She later transferred to the National Guard, ultimately serving 31 years in the military prior to retirement as Washington State Chief Nurse.

In 1989 Margarethe disclosed, in a security clearance investigation, that she was a lesbian which resulted in her discharge in 1992. She challenged her discharge under the military’s anti-gay regulation and exclusion. In 1994 she was reinstated in the military as though never discharged. In 1995, a made-for-television movie adapted from the autobiography "Serving in Silence" (with Chris Fisher) was aired with Glenn Close as Colonel Cammermeyer. The film earned the Peabody award and three Emmy Awards.

Margarethe earned a B.S. in Nursing from the University of Maryland, an M.A and Ph.D. in Nursing Science from the University of Washington and received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1995 from the University of Washington School of Nursing. Her concurrent nursing career in the VA Medical Health Care system as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Neurosciences and research lasted 25 years. In 1985 she was named the VA Nurse of the Year and retiring in 1997.

After retirement, Margarethe had an unsuccessful run for Congress in 1998, then hosted an Internet radio talk show for two years before serving six years as Chairperson for the Island County Democrats. Currently she is Hospital Commissioner for her local Public Hospital, has an Adult Family Home providing 24-hour care for aging and infirmed residents. In June 2010 she was selected as a member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, (DACOWITS).

At home on Whidbey Island, WA, she now lives with her partner of 22 years, Diane Divelbess, and their two dogs. They are surrounded by friends and family, including 10 grandchildren. Visit her website, www.cammermeyer.com, to learn more.