American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER) is the oldest and largest member-based LGBT Veterans Service Organization in the United States, fighting for the right and duty of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender military service for 25 years.
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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
Today 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 
moment 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
Hagel Orders Guards to Grant Benefits
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Thursday ordered all state National Guards to grant same-sex couples full benefits after Indiana, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina and West Virginia refused to do so.
In a speech at the Anti-Defamation League in New York Thursday, Hagel said that he was directing the state Guards to issue same-sex couples ID cards and the benefits that come with them. He asked National Guard Chief Gen. Frank Grass to meet with the Guard state leaders in the nine states in order to resolve the issue.
“Not only does this violate the states’ obligations under federal law, their actions have created hardship and inequality by forcing couples to travel long distances to federal military bases to obtain the ID cards they’re entitled to,” Hagel said, according to prepared remarks of his speech.
A senior defense official said Hagel is prepared “to take further action” if the states do not comply with the Pentagon directive on benefits for same-sex spouses.
Danny Ingram, National Treasurer and Immediate Past President
American Veterans for Equal Rights