Author Archives: James Apedaile

Invitation to march in New York City World Pride Parade, June 30, 2019

All AVER members are invited to march with AVER-NY in the New York City World Pride Parade on June 30th, 2019.  World Pride celebrates the 50thanniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion in NYC in 1969.  We march as Proud Patriotic LGBTQ veterans carrying the American and Rainbow flags.
It is important to make NYC accommodation reservations as soon as possible as every hotel room in NYC will be full. Several million LGBTQ people from around the word will be participating.  AVER-NY does not have the resources to provide any services or support.
You must sign up in advance to march with AVER-NY in the World Pride Parade.  Call us at 718 849-5665 or email us at glbtvetsnyc@yahoo.comwith your name, phone number, and email address.  You will receive confirmation and line up information in late May or in June.
What to wear: We march in neat casual clothing, this includes transgender veterans. AVER marchers may NOT wear nor carry any protest or political signs or insignia of any kind.
Veterans may wear their uniforms, however uniforms must be complete and inspectable.
Active Duty personnel wishing to wear their uniforms are responsible for getting permission from their commands.  All uniformed personnel will be inspected by a USCG Chief and a USAR Sgt First Class.  Be aware that TV and news photographers will be broadcasting and taking photos throughout the parade.  Any and all requests for interviews should be cleared through our event coordinator.
Please contact AVER-NY with any questions.

Joint Press release re: SCOTUS lifts injunctions banning Transgender military service

23 January 2019

TRANSGENDER AMERICAN VETERANS ASSOCIATION
AMERICAN VETERANS FOR EQUAL RIGHTS

For Immediate Release
Contact:
Evan Young, President, TAVA evan@transveteran.org
Julz Carey, President, AVER, firstjulz@gmail.com
Denny Meyer, AVER/TAVA Public Affairs 718 849-5665

Re: Joint Press release re: SCOTUS lifts injunctions banning Transgender military service

A full 25 years after our allied countries lifted their bans on gay and transgender service, the US Administration is still determined to enforce discrimination.  While three courts have filed injunctions against the administration banning Transgender Service, and one court lifting its injunction; the Supreme Court has now lifted the injunctions allowing the Trump Administration to immediately impose a ban on Transgender Service.

Previously, the Obama administration achieved nearly full equality first by encouraging and signing the repeal of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy against Gay service; and then ordering our armed forces to allow Transgender service under careful guidelines.  The Trump Administration has sought, from the start, to void and cancel all Obama initiatives, progress, and rational policies, determined to roll back equality, science, human dignity, and decency.  With a Supreme Court stacked with conservative bigots disinterested in American ideology of equality, the reversal of rights has just begun.

Evan Young, Major US Army retired, President of TAVA, said, “I am furious and disappointed in the actions of the Supreme Court today with their obvious injection of discrimination against honorably serving transgender Americans in our Armed Forces. Their action is backed by an administration determined to erase Transgender Americans. We will not be erased, and we will continue to serve patriotically and give the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Donald Trump is part of a systemic problem in our country dividing us against each other in the name of far right religious organizations that spew hatred and bigotry against the LGBTQI community. We must stand strong and fight this cruel and irrational decision through our votes in the next election as we did in the mid-terms. This administration’s discrimination causes someone to lose their dream, brings someone to tears over their future, and allows someone to be afraid for their safety. To become a great nation, we must work together, empower each other, and celebrate diversity.”

Julz Carey, US Coast Guard Chief Boatswain’s Mate retired, President of AVER, said, “I am outraged and heartbroken by the actions of this administration to enforce discrimination based on ignorance and raw prejudice as opposed to facts. Instead of affirming the rights of all Americans who volunteer and stand proudly in the uniform of our armed services, the Trump administration and the over zealous religous right seek to inject hatred, discrimination, and harrasment into the ranks of what should be cohesive military units striving to work together as one, enhanced by the diversity of the many.

Banning Transgender service despite there being no problems in two years of open service in the US armed forces, and none in over two and a half decades in our allied countries makes no sense other than blatant pandering to a conservative voter base.  History shows we have heroes cut from all fabrics of the American tapestry.  We have American service members who are not being paid, who are feeding their families from food banks, and today we tell them their team mates are not worthy.  How dare you insult my sisters and brothers in arms.”

Our proud patriots will continue to endeavor to serve their country; we will continue to demand equality.

American Veterans For Equal Rights (aver.us) is the nation’s LGBT veterans’ service organization serving the needs of our veterans and advocating for the rights and benefits of LGBT service members and veterans.

Transgender American Veterans Association (transveteran.org) is the national Transgender service organization advocating for the rights and benefits of Transgender service members and veterans.

AVER 25th Anniversary Pin

a href=”http://aver.us/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/wpid-25.jpg”img style=”width:500px;max-width:500px;” title=”wpid-25.jpg” class=”alignleft size-full” alt=”image” src=”http://aver.us/newsite/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/wpid-25.jpg?w=500″ //a

In commemoration of our 25th anniversary as America’s oldest and largest national LGBT Veterans Service Organization, American Veterans for Equal Rights is offering this special pin as a gift to veterans and service members who join or renew their membership this year.

AVER has helped create change in our successful operation to lift the ban against Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual military service and ensure equality of benefits to the families of our service members and veterans. Numbers count, and this work would not have been possible without the support and gravitas of our valued members. Much work remains, and we can help accomplish more change only if we maintain a strong base of membership. Please consider becoming a member of AVER or renewing your membership.

You can become a member of AVER by visiting our website at AVER.us or OUTVETS.us and clicking the link that says JOIN. Your oath and commitment to protect our nation’s future did not end when you left the military. Your service continues. Please enlist now with American Veterans for Equal Rights and join other distinguished LGBT veterans and service members as we continue the fight to bring freedom and equality to America’s honored LGBT warriors.

Danny Ingram, President Emeritus
American Veterans for Equal Rights

AVER Consults with Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee

 

American Veterans For Equal Rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AVER Consults with Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee

Contact:

AVER Public Affairs, Denny Meyer, 718 849 5665, publicaffairs@aver.us AVER President, Steve Loomis, LTC EN USA,(Ret.) sloomis@swcp.com 

AVER Consults with Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee

by

Steve Loomis, LTC, EN, U.S. Army (Ret.) National President American Veterans for Equal Rights

18 September 2014

American Veterans for Equal Rights has again provided input on legislative issues important to LGBT Veterans to members of the United States Senate.  On September 10, 2014, I was invited to represent AVER in a meeting with the US Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee to identify the current legislative issues important to the LGBT veterans community.  AVER’s national presence once again insured us a voice at the table for LGBT veterans.

AVER’s most important tasks are Outreach to our veterans, outreach almost to daily to Congress, the Department of Defense, the Veterans Administration, academia, media and other LGBT veteran groups.  We must regularly place our goals and concerns before our local and national agencies.  This is critical to support our veterans.  It is what Danny Ingram as our past President, and Denny Meyer as our public affairs officer have done for many years and what I have now undertaken on your behalf.

In this instance, we met in the Mansfield Room of the Capitol with fifteen Senators, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reed; Senator Tammy Baldwin; a military veteran; Senator Coons of DE; Senator Udall of Colorado; and Senator Corey Booker of NJ, among others. While AVER was the only veterans’ group present, many other LGBT groups were represented including American Military Partner Association and Human Rights Campaign.

 

 

 Steve Loomis

Steve Loomis, National President of American Veterans for Equal Rights explains LGBT veterans critical legislative issues to the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee on Capitol Hill.

 

Each group identified issues important to the LGBT community nationwide. As President of AVER, our country’s first LGBT veterans group, I indicated our issues came from our members through our national board of directors.  The legislative issues important to us as LGBT veterans, were:

 

√  –  1.  That military service must be open to transgender service members by administrative or legislative changes.

 

√  –  2.  It is essential to protect our hard won right, won when Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was repealed, for all patriotic American volunteers to be allowed to serve in our nation’s armed forces regardless of sexual orientation.

 

√  –  3.  Ensure that the Veterans Administration shall consistently serve all veterans equally, with relevant and competent treatment of LGBT veterans.

 

√  –  4.  Since Equal Employment Opportunity protections do not currently cover LGBT military, such protections must be extended as a protected class to LGBT personnel serving in Department of Defense. This will provide LGBT service members access to the EEO officer inside the unit level.  Otherwise our service members must rely for protection from threat or harm on the commander who may be the source of such oppression.  The VA should then follow the lead of the DOD.

Then issues important to us as members of the larger veterans community were presented.  They are:

√  –  1.  Continue effective efforts to improve, oversee and adequately fund the Veterans Administration medical service for all veterans.

√  –  2.  Ensure Veterans Administration Medical support to our transgender veterans fully complies with the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5.

√  –  3.  Reform the rules on Military Sexual Assault as it applies to both men and women, gay and straight.  While we should not take away the commander’s review of convictions, their authority to overturn those convictions needs to be limited.

Finally, as citizens serving our country our legislative issues are;

√  –  1.  Reversing the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United, in order to protect the voice of our citizens,

√  –  2.  Pass the Federal Employment Non-discrimination Act (ENDA) with the same religious exemption of Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act.  This critical LGBT protection has been delayed in Congress for over a decade.

√  –  3.  Finally, improved administrative relief for undocumented immigrants.  Over 267,000 immigrants identify as LGBT, and many are fleeing severe and deadly persecution, or seeking unification with their families.

These issues are important and favorable resolution of these issues will go a long way toward equal protection for LGBT Americans, protections that we as LGBT veterans served our country for and deserve along with all those who have gone in harm’s way for our country.

After the meeting adjourned, Senators Booker and Coons both personally approached me and asked for additional information to be provided to their staff on these issues. We will be sending letters with this information to each of the senators present and to my own New Mexico congressional delegation.  These are issues important to each of us as citizens, veterans and LGBT veterans and we should also reach out to all our members of Congress through our chapters and advocate for our issues.  It is that personal contact from their constituents in their local states that means the most and will sway them to our issues.

With the approach of AVER’s 25th Anniversary, our continued success depends very much on the support of each one of our members.  Your financial support gives us the resources to provide this type of vital input at the highest levels, and your membership allows us to speak on your behalf as the honored voices of LGBT US military veterans, a voice that is necessary to bring change not only to our veterans but our active duty service members as well.  AVER’s success depends very much on our continued outreach not only to members but to our local leaders through our chapters and to our national leaders through your National Board.  Working together we can continue to achieve progress in support of our LGBT veterans, service members, and their families.

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Steve Loomis is the National President of American Veterans for Equal Rights, the first LGBT veterans organization. A graduate of the University of New Mexico, he served as a decorated infantry officer in Vietnam and later as an combat engineer officer.

DONATE to http://aver.us/be-involved/sponsorship

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Happy Military Freedom Day

This day, September 19th, marks the last day, three years ago, of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  Repeal of DADT, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 22, 2010, officially took effect on September 20th, 2011.  As flags were lowered at Retreat ceremonies on United States military posts and warships around the world, the nearly 100 year old ban against gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members became a part of history.  An injustice ended.  America became more free.  

This did not just happen.  It happened because many people worked very hard for a very long time to create the change that made the guardians of America’s freedom the representatives of the liberty they serve to safeguard.  American Veterans for Equal Rights was on the front line of this long engagement from the very start.  We can all be very proud of that accomplishment.  You created change.  You made this happen.  

The past few years have been amazing.  We now have openly gay general officers serving in our military.  The Department of Defense officially recognizes same-sex marriages and offers full benefits to the spouses of our brave warriors.  Marriage equality is sweeping our nation, a social revolution that is quite unlikely to have happened without the repeal of DADT.  Honored warriors, thank you for your hard work.  You made this happen.  This is your legacy.  

There is still work to be done.  The VA still does not offer full benefits to the legally married spouses of LGB service members.  Transgender Americans still cannot serve in the military.  Many states still do not recognize our same-gender marriages.  LGB service members do not have the unit level access to EEO officers to give them immediate protection from harassment and threats from their fellow service members.  Veterans who received less-than-honorable discharges for no other reason than their sexual orientation need to have those discharges upgraded so they can access the benefits they earned for their service.  We have work to do.  

As we near the beginning of our 25th year of service, please consider the accomplishments of this great organization and your role in making America a more free and just society.  This year we said goodbye to one of our founders, Chuck Schoen.  Chuck lived to see the repeal of DADT.  Let’s continue his work, and broaden his legacy to continue the change he started.  

Thank you to all the members of American Veterans for Equal Rights for your service to our nation and your commitment to making the United States military the true representatives of the freedom it exists to protect.  I ask that you continue with us as we step forward into our next quarter century.  American Veterans for Equal Rights remains the respected voice of LGBT military veterans in the United States.  When Congress, the VA, the Commander-In-Chief, and other major government agencies come looking for answers to their questions about LGBT veterans, they come to AVER.  Please keep that voice strong.  

Happy Military Freedom Day.  You did this.  Carry on. 

Danny Ingram, President Emeritus

American Veterans for Equal Rights