Category Archives: P.A.O.

Official Releases from the AVER National Public Affairs Office.

Benefits Update

BENEFITS UPDATE
LGBTQ+ Service and VA Benefits Right Now!
The landscape is constantly shifting, but here is the current status as of April 27, 2025.
LGBTQ+ Service. Transgender service members are serving and receiving care, including gender affirming surgeries under the Defense Health Agency. Donald Trump issued an executive order on January 27, 2025, terminating service for anyone with a current or former diagnosis of gender dysphoria. Three lawsuits have been filed, two of which have resulted in a nationwide injunction blocking Trump’s EO. The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to enact the ban. Recruitment is open to Transgender individuals. Adult dependents of service members who are Transgender are receiving care. Treatments have been halted for minors 19 and under. No Pride events on military installations. No display of Pride flags. To date there has been no call to end Lebian, Gay, and Bisexual service.
Veterans Care with the VA. The VHA LGBTQ+ Health Program, which mandates an LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator in each VA system, is still in place. The VA’s LGBTQ+ website is still up. The VA will begin phasing out all treatment for gender dysphoria except for veterans who have a previous diagnosis while on active duty and veterans already in the VA system with a current diagnosis. No Pride events. No display of Pride flags. The VA had not begun offering gender confirmation surgeries.
Discharge Upgrades. A class action settlement against the Department of Defense in March, 2025, mandates that the DOD will streamline the process for discharge upgrades for all service eras, including discharges before Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The update of narrative codes on DD214s, which included descriptions such as “sexual deviance,” are included in this action. The DOD has until August of this year to comply with the settlement.
Danny Ingram
AVER Public Affairs

Eric Fanning Confirmed as Secretary of the Army

AMERICAN VETERANS FOR EQUAL RIGHTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Re:  Eric Fanning Confirmed as Secretary of the Army

Contact: Denny Meyer AVER Public Affairs, publicaffairs@aver.us 718 849-5665

Eric Fanning was confirmed as Secretary of the Army by the US Senate after a considerable delay.  He is eminently qualified, having served as Deputy Undersecretary of the Navy, Undersecretary and Acting Secretary of the Air Force, and has been on the job serving as Acting Secretary of the Army for nearly a year.  The fact that he is openly gay is nearly irrelevant except for LGBT Americans and particularly LGBT soldiers in the US Army who now know that they have the support of someone who knows who they are.

The immediate 8 month delay since he was appointed by President Obama was reportedly to due politics rather than prejudice.  The more than 200 year delay in American history is more significant.  He has become the highest ranking known gay American armed forces official and first known openly gay Secretary in our armed forces.  It was not that long ago that simply being gay was grounds for dishonorable dismissal from our armed forces.  And yet, gay patriots have served our nation since the Revolutionary War, starting with LTGEN Friedrich Von Steuben who trained the Continental Army and wrote the original Rules of Order and Discipline which evolved into the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).  We have a proud history.  Mr. Fanning now takes his well-deserved place therein.

AVER President, LTC Steve Loomis, US Army Retired, stated, “We welcome Eric Fanning as the new Secretary of the Army.  He can now proceed with leading the Army in a very important time.  His leadership will undoubtedly be effectively for all members of our Army.  We wish him and the Army the very best.”

American Veterans For Equal Rights is America’s first national LGBT veterans’ service organization advocating for the rights and benefits of LGBT veterans and service members since 1990 –  www.aver.us