Finally Free From DADT

Dishonorably Discharged Diva

I’m certain that’s what the reporters would have called me, and it would have been really, really ugly.

What was it Garth Brooks said about unanswered prayers? Oh, that’s right, some of God’s greatest gifts. Well, I can assure you that She wrapped this gift with a big red bow and delivered it via my mother in 1993. There is a seventeen-year-old thank you card I forgot to send… until last year when a friend posted this video on Facebook:

Jeff Sheng talks about his faceless portraits of gay U.S. military members displayed at the Kaycee Olsen Gallery. The exhibit is called Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

It is a heart-wrenchingly (for me, at least) beautiful 3 1/2-minute reminder of the reality that was almost mine. Honestly, I had totally forgotten how I’d planned, at least for a moment, to follow my parents’ footsteps right into the United States Air Force. At the time–which feels like one hundred years ago but was in fact only twenty–they were both recently retired career soldiers and military life was the only life I’d ever known.

As a little girl, I’d wanted to be a teacher but there was no money or plan for me to go to college. I’d done enough research to know that teaching required at least 4 years and likely more, and more tuition than I could conceive of. My mom had already begun a second career in civil service and with her retirement income, we didn’t qualify for financial assistance. I’d packed up my dream of being a teacher–like the final, sacred token of a childhood chapter now closed–and moved on.

I had zero sense of personal identity, no clue who I was or what I wanted to be when I grew up. Throughout my life, the U.S. Air Force provided my family with the basics one needs in life (at least as I understood it then): health insurance, retirement plan, roof over your head, work clothes, and enough extra to buy food on base and pay your utilities, plus vacation one or two weeks a year. My vision of my future was totally blank, and my parents’ choice seemed like a reasonable option for me, too.

Next: Mom shut me down. Hard.

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susan b.

11:43PM PST on Dec 15, 2012

My son was in the military with other straight men and showering with them- was a horror for my son and his buddies, amongst other things where gay men were involved. Do I believe that gays should be allowed in our military---yes, I do. But some changes have to be made to make everyone else feel comfortable.

December 15
send a green star

LMj S.

5:51PM PDT on Jul 30, 2012

Thank you for sharing!

July 30
send a green star

5:50PM PDT on Jul 30, 2012

5:49PM PDT on Jul 30, 2012

5:48PM PDT on Jul 30, 2012

Andrew C.

11:05AM PDT on Jun 1, 2012

I made a video about why Homosexuals should have equal rights. It’s at my YouTube channel Zarrakan, and here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdK5ETOJusw

Watch it, share it, and join the fight against the evil Homophobes.

June 1
send a green star

Sheryl Y.

6:37PM PDT on May 31, 2012

Dh H. -- No one is talking about children or animals. They are unable to give consent.

Jesus said not one word about homosexuals. Paul did, but he never even spoke to Jesus, did he? If you want to base your morality on Leviticus, there are a whole bunch of things you better not be doing if you don't want to go to hell.