Category Archives: News

AVER makes an effort to maintain links to news articles, from around the USA and the world at large, pertaining to the LGBT community, veterans and/or service members. If you find a relevant news article that is not listed, please send us the link via our Contact page, and we will assess the content for inclusion in our News lists.Please note:1. We scour the internet frequently to ensure that our news links are for articles published by media outlets. If you find a dead link, please let us know. For [non-AVER] organizational press releases, please see our Links directory.2. We will sometimes include articles pertaining to legislative matters; however, as a 501(c)(3) organization, we do not post news pertaining to specific political candidates, as this could be misconstrued as endorsement.

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

AVER endorses the Restore Honor to Service Members Act

For Immediate Release       
January 31, 2014

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

 AVER endorses the Restore Honor to Service Members Act
“Act will streamline the discharge upgrade process”

Albuquerque, NM – American Veterans for Equal Rights supports and endorses the Restore Honor to Service Members Act, introduced in the Senate on January 30th by Senators Shatz (D HI) and Gillibrand (D NY), following the bill’s introduction in the House of Representatives last Summer by Representatives Rangel (D NY) and Pocan (D WI).  The act will streamline the discharge upgrade process for those service members discharged “due to homosexuality” since World War II, both before and during the DADT era.

AVER was consulted during the initial development of the bill.  As noted in the Senators’ press release below, AVER has long advocated that, “LGBT veterans who served and sacrificed in silence during World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, as well as those who served before and during ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ in the Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan, deserve to see their service recognized and honored at long last.”

AVER President Steve Loomis (LTC Ret.) stated, “It is extremely important that this act be passed to provide correction of less than honorable discharges given during and before Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy.  Now is time to heal the damages that an ill conceived DADT policy did to many of our patriot GLBT veterans.  It is the logical completion of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Streamlined procedures for changing the characterization, narrative and reenlistment codes for discharges for homosexuality will be announced following the passage for this bill.  Corrections are necessary to avoid inaccurate assumptions by potential employers or veterans benefits agencies when dealing with GLBT veterans.

Senator Schatz’ Press Release, including AVER’s commentary and a summary of the bill, may be seen at:http://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-gillibrand-seek-justice-for-service-members-discharged-due-to-sexual-orientation

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Our Issues in the New Year

AVER Members and Supporters,

In this New Year I wish to thank you for placing your trust in me to lead AVER.  Leadership of AVER is something that we must all work together to achieve our mutual goals.  We are considering several issues of great importance to our organization in the coming year.

We must understand and work on the critical issues we have remaining before us and reach out to new members with those goals.  They include: the passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to help insure equal job opportunities for our veterans and our community;  the right of Transgenders to serve our country;  ensuring the rights we won in a long hard battle to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell are in fact extended to our Active Duty Service Members; and expanding the services of the Veterans Administration to all our LGBT Veterans.

Of course, we cannot forget the continuing work to obtain the freedom to marry in all 50 states.  I am truly proud of our recent victory in my home state before the Supreme Court of New Mexico, not to forget those in New Jersey and Utah.  Eighteen States now permit gay marriage, however 32 still deny that basic right to us.  Those of us who are fortunate to live in those 18 states, must now support those who live in the remaining 32.  It will be a difficult fight and we can and should be leaders among our many allies in those fights.

I ask that you plan efforts in your local chapters to make all of this happen and to extend our support to new members in your chapter and across our country.  Just as in the fight against DADT, small victories across our country will add up to a National win for us all.  Hard coordinated work will make it happen sooner, rather than later.

I wish to you and each of us the best for a challenging, safe and prosperous New Year.

Veterans Proudly serving since Valley Forge! 

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

December 7, 1941

americanfreedomToday marks the beginning of the modern civil rights movement in the United States of America.  72 years ago today the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked US military forces on the island territory of Hawaii, setting into motion a massive mobilization of Americans that would leave our nation dramatically changed in its demands for equality.  Women, racial minorities, LGBT people, and other disenfranchised citizens would experience military life and the challenges of war where survival was based on teamwork and divisions disappeared in the necessity of working side-by-side with people who were different.   Prejudices were dissolved, and minorities demonstrated their equal patriotism through courage and sacrifice.  American servicemen and women would experience the horrors of the battlefield and discoveries of atrocities committed against minorities overseas, and they would return home determined that oppression was an unacceptable step towards Holocaust.  Women would leave traditional roles and take on jobs outside the home for the first time, and many more would serve in the war performing vital duties where women had never been welcome before.  And LGBT Americans would leave the oppressive life of small town America to discover a world where they were more free to find love and fulfillment.   Today we must pause to remember the many young men and women who lost their lives this day, and give a thoughtful Pearl Harbormoment to recall the beginning of a titanic struggle, a struggle that would leave our great nation as one of the superpowers of the earth, and a people determined to build a society where all citizens could one day enjoy genuine freedom and the the true justice of equality.  We are the evolving dream of American largely due to the events of today, those incredible 72 years ago.

Danny Ingram, National Treasurer and Immediate Past President
American Veterans for Equal Rights
www.aver.us  treasurer@aver.us

Many Thanks This Day

As individuals, as veterans, as GLBT veterans with our families and supporters we have much to be thankful this November day of thanks.  I appreciate your continued hard work that has resulted in the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and now the smooth implementation of its repeal.  We are now steadily achieving our right to marry the one we love and bring our families into this warm glow of these holidays.  We have much to do to ensure federal employment protections for our community.

We must now extend American Veterans for Equal Rights mutual support to others to help them fully enjoy the many thanks we have.  We must continue our work as individuals and as AVER to keep our right to serve our country openly, to extend our right to marry throughout the country, to bring our Transgender Veterans and Service Members fully into our circle of fellowship and honor and for our equal right to work in our chosen professions.  We have much to do and together we will get it done.

From the fresh fallen snow of New England, over the rolling plains of the Midwest, to the sunny palms of Southern California, I wish for you, your friends and family gracious and glowing holidays.

Veterans Proudly serving since Valley Forge! 

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