On this Valentine’s Day, AVER asks that you keep in your heart the 65,000 American service members for whom it is illegal to have a Valentine.
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USA, 21 August 2008
The Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara has released the findings of a survey, conducted by Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA), that shows that transgender veterans are being turned away and being mistreated in high numbers by Veterans Administration medical facilities. The survey of 827 U.S. military veterans and active-duty personnel mark the first major empirical findings on transgender people in the military. This represents a strong sampling from what is estimated to be approximately 300,000 veterans in the US who identify as being transgender.
Plainville, Ill., 23 May 2008.
A US court’s decision states that a service member discharged under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell has the right to sue for reinstatement because, under Lawrence vs. Texas, the government would have to prove a compelling reason to deny the right to serve based on status as a homosexual. The military would have to show how a service member’s being gay would adversely affect readiness and ability to perform.
Plainville, Ill, 07 May 2008
Within the last year or so the U.S. Military has begun to recruit convicted felons to fill the quotas of active duty servicemembers. Our military has always claimed to enlist only the best the country has to offer in her defense.
MAJ Alan G. Rogers photo – DoD
7 April 2008
Plainville, IL
New York, NY
American Veterans for Equal Rights joins in mourning with the family and friends of Major Alan G. Rogers who gave the ultimate sacrifice in serving our nation in Iraq.
Plainville, Il, Jan. 30, 2008
Fourteen years ago this week, on January 29th, 1994, the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy was enacted into effect, having been signed into law the previous year on Nov. 30th 1993. In a twisted logic, that only a politician could be proud of, the so-called Congressional compromise allowed gay Americans to serve in our armed forces provided that they never ever told anyone that they were gay nor engaged in homosexuality; marrying a same sex partner was also forbidden, even though that was not legally possible anywhere at the time. Violating the rules requires immediate discharge from the armed forces.