Copas, Bleu, former Sergeant, U.S. Army (2002-2006)

A decorated sergeant and Arabic language specialist, Sergeant Copas was dismissed from the U.S. Army under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," though his accuser was never identified. Copas was "outed" by a stream of anonymous e-mails to his superiors in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. An eight-month Army investigation culminated in Copas' honorable discharge from the Army —less than four years after he enlisted, motivated by a sense of duty to his country in the days following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Following his dismissal from the Army, Sergeant Copas spoke widely in the press about living under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and the need to repeal the ban on open service. He appeared in countless newspaper articles (including The New York Times), on talk radio programs around the country, and on both Good Morning America and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He currently lives in Tennessee.