American Veterans for Equal Rights, the nation’s oldest LGBT Veterans Service Organization, acknowledges the important role that social protest has played in our own community’s fight for equality and justice in the United States. We struggle over the events surrounding the death of George Floyd.

Our Struggle, our struggle with anger. Anger that reaches into the depths of our souls, no matter our color or culture. Our struggle with frustration at the system, the injustice, the prejudice, and the inability to exactly say how we feel.

We are not okay, our country is in pain. The pendulum has very nearly reached its apex, the point of change is upon us and we must face it going forward, not looking back and taking full advantage of momentum to propel us forward.

We are upset and angry that police can brutally kill a man while he is in custody. We are upset that we still see color as a reason to fear each other. We are upset that some of our leaders refuse to acknowledge that racism exists. We are upset that some would take advantage of lawful protesting to loot and incite violence. We are upset that lawmakers wring their hands and speak platitudes but do nothing. We are upset that we are forced to stand against each other in the process of standing up to racism. We are upset that the color of our skin is still a reason to still the heart within.

White privilege has tarnished the words “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” for far too long. It’s past time to stop the hate, today I will not fear my neighbor.

Julz Carey

President

James Apedaile

Vice President

Denny Meyer

Public Affairs Officer

Danny Ingram

President Emeritus II

AVER Bataan member Dorothee Baker making masks for our members in need as well as other front line individuals in need.

With the orders to STAY HOME, SOCIAL DISTANCE and WEARING MASKS now in affect for most of us (should be all), we are

trying to do our best.  This includes holding meetings via ZOOM, calling members, emails and texts to ensure our members are doing well.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
AMERICAN VETERANS FOR EQUAL RIGHTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 17, 2020

RE: Termination of Ban on Transgender Service
Contact: AVER Public Affairs, Denny Meyer 718.849.5665 publicaffairs@aver.us

San Antonio, TX “Military City USA” (MAR 17, 2020) – At this urgent time of designated national emergency when US military forces are already deployed stateside in the effort to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, American Veterans for Equal Rights calls for an immediate and purposeful termination of policies removing highly trained and skilled Transgender service members from the ranks of our armed forces. Prejudice, no matter how justified, should not be allowed to jeopardize national security. This is an “all hands on deck” critical moment in American history. We do not have a single skilled professional to waste. As we mobilize every effort to protect our American citizens from the danger of this pandemic, we should support every man and woman who has volunteered to defend our safety. End the ban on Transgender service. We cannot afford the loss of essential skills at this crucial point in our nation’s need.

American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER) is the nation’s oldest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Veterans Service Organization, commemorating 30 years of service to the LGBT community in 2020.

American Veterans for Equal Rights is honored to welcome our newest member Captain Allison J. Caputo, United States Coast Guard. Captain Caputo, whose rank is equivalent to an Army colonel, is one of the highest ranking Transgender officers in the United States Military.
Captain Caputo graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1995 with a BS in Marine Science, holds a Master’s Degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island, and has over 11 years of sea service aboard 5 different cutters in both the Pacific and Atlantic Areas. In 2015, Captain Caputo was assigned as Chief Living Marine Resources Enforcement officer at Coast Guard Headquarters where she implemented the Port States Measures Agreement, presented Ship-rider (Integrated Cross-Border Maritime Law Enforcement Operations) opportunities for Safe Ocean Network and established port denials for countries identified as Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing nations. As the Chief of Law Enforcement for the Seventeenth Coast Guard District in Juneau, AK she implemented high seas boarding and inspection for the North Pacific Fisheries Commission as the chair of the enforcement committee. She is the author of “A Global Fish War is Coming” published in U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings in August 2017.
Captain Caputo currently serves in San Antonio, TX, as the Planning Section Chief for Joint Task Force West, which was created in 2014, and coordinates intelligence, investigations and efforts by agencies within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security targeting transnational criminal organizations along the southwest border. Captain Caputo’s personal awards include: two Meritorious Service Medals, four Coast Guard Commendation Medals, and a Coast Guard Achievement Medal.
AVER is proud of the training and dedication of the Transgender service members like Captain Allison Caputo who keep our nation safe both here at home and around the world. Transgender Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen form an integral and crucial part of the dedicated men and women who defend our nation’s freedom and maintain our national security. AVER supports their full inclusion and we call for the immediate termination of policies that exclude their service. Policies that exclude individuals from our armed forces for unjust reasons are not only an offense to the freedoms our service members risk their lives to defend but are also a wasteful danger to our collective safety.
Thank you, Captain Allison Caputo for your service to our nation and your commitment to authentic leadership. Your dedication is second to none. You are the best of us.

Dear Prior Military Service Members,

You are being invited to volunteer to participate in a research study about exploring LGBTQ Military Prior Servicemembers lived experience, associated stressors, and social support. The purpose of this study is to better understand the lived experienced, associated stressors, and social support of LGBTQ military prior service members. The study consists of completing an electronic survey that includes a demographic and personal history sheet along with several other research instruments. The time to complete the survey is approximately 18 minutes. You may skip the questions that you are not comfortable answering.  

FLYER attached: Survey Flyer

World Pride Parade New York City Invitation

American Veterans for Equal Rights, America’s LGBT veterans service organization, invites all patriotic LGBT United States, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, Israeli, and United Kingdom veterans to march with us in the World Pride Parade in New York City on June 30^th 2019.  Partners and spouses are welcome.

We march proudly with the American and Rainbow flags.  Allied country veterans, listed above, may march with us, in uniform, carrying their national flags.

You must sign up in advance to march with us, email us at glbtvetsnyc@yahoo.com : list your name, email address, phone number, your country/branch of service and final rank.  We will send you the line up time and location when it becomes available.

Rules and what to wear:
AVER marchers wear neat casual clothing, no wild outfits.  AVER marchers may not carry nor wear any political, protest, nor commercial signs, slogans nor insignia of any kind.

Veterans may wear their uniforms IF they are neat, complete and inspectable.  No, incomplete uniforms.   Active Duty personnel and reservists are responsible for getting permission from their commands to march in uniform in the World Pride Parade.  Be aware that there will be national and international live TV cameras and news photographers throughout the parade route.

AVER is not able to provide any support services to marchers.  We look forward to the honor of marching with you in Pride.