CURRENT AND FORMER GAY SERVICE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN WAITING TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN OVER
THE DON'T ASK DON'T TELL. THE DISTRICT JUDGE SAID THAT IT VIOLATES DUE PROCESS AND FREEDOM
OF SPEECH. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT APPEALED THE RULEING AND ON WEDNESDAY THE PIN INJUNCTION
WAS FROZEN. S IN T HIS IS A VERY SENSITIVE TOPIC ESPECIALLY FROM THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN
DISCHARGEED BEING OPENLY GAY.
HE WAS DISCHARGEED AND IS NOW ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO. YOU WERE A WITNESS
IN THE FEDERAL COURT CASE, HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU HEARD THAT THE IF THE JUDGE ISSUED
THE INJUNCTION AGAINST THE MILITARYIES DON'T ASK DON'T TELL. ? T E L L?
I THINK WE WERE OVERWHELMED OVER IT. WE KNEW THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WOULD FIGHT IT. THEY
DID FIGHT IT. WE NOW HAVE A FEDERAL COURT JUDGE THAT IS
KNOWN TO BE CONSERVATIVE AND KNOWN KNOWN TO BE A NO NONSENSE JUDGE. AND IT'S THAT MIGHT
HAVE LANGUAGE --AND IT'S THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE THAT WILL MOVE THE ISSUE FORWARD.
WHAT ABOUT THE DECISION OF FIRING OR LETTING GO MILITARY PEOPLE IN THE HANDS OF A PANEL
OF FIVE. I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE MAKING IT MORE COMPLICATEED TO KICK PEOPLE OUT. BUT REGARDLESS
THE FACT IS IT'S NOT RIGHT IN ANY WAY THAT WE ARE EVEN CONSIDERING FIRE APPROXIMATING
MEN AND WOMEN THAT ARE WILLING TO DIE A WAR THAT THIS COUNTRY GOES TO AND ARE EQUALLY
QUALIFIED AND IN NO WAY EFFECTING THE MISSION OR THE UNIT.
WHAT LED TO YOUR DISCHARGE IN 2 NOW WHO NOW AND -- DISCHARGE IN 2007, FOR A PERIOD OF
28 MONTHS WHILE I SERVED OVERSEAS AS A NAVY EXPLOSIVE DETECTION K-9 DETECH TORE9 DE--
DETECTOR, I WAS --I WAS ACCEPTED TO UNITED STATES NAVAL A
ACADEMY AND I REALIZEED THAT I I HAD DONE NOTHING TO PRO ADVOCATE PROVOK THE ABUSE AND
WAS NOT ABLE TO PREVENT IT. AND IT BECAME A PARENT TO ME THAT IT WAS NOT A WAY TO MOVE
FORWARD. WE WILL BE CAUGHT AND DISGRACED FOR NO FAIR REASON AND I DECIDED THAT THAT WAS
NOT A GOOD AND FAIR WAY TO LIVE. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE IN THE MILL FATHER
MILITARY, DID IT START RIGHT AWAY OR ON BOARD OR HOW DID IT PAN OUT OVER TIME DURING YOUR
ENLISTMENT?
I DID WELL IN BOOT CAMP AND IN POLICE POLICE OFFICER SCHOOL AND I DID WELL IN THE MIDDLE
EAST. IT WAS WHEN I GOT INTO THE SMALL ISOLATED UNIT WITH LITTLE TO NO OVERSIGHT,
THAT I EXPERIENCED THIS. IT HIGHLIGHTS THE POLICY THAT I HAD NO PROBLEMS GETTING ALONG
WITH ANYONE OR GAINING RESPECT IT WAS ONLY WHEN I WAS PUT INTO A CORNER INTO NIECE QUESTIONS
THESE QUESTIONS ARE YOU GAY BECAUSE YOU WILL DO THIS OR NOT DO THAT. THE ABILITY TO SAY
YES I AM LEAVE ME ALONE OR THE THE INABILITY TO SAY WHETHER I WAS OR NEOTEINIA
ADDED ADD AD -- THAT ADDED TO PEOPLE WANTING TO KNOW IF I WAS OR NOT. AND SO NOW YOU DID
THIS EXPERIENCE --THIS DID NOT STOP YOU TRIED TO REENLIST THIS WEEK?
YES.
WHAT HAPPENED?
BASED ON THE TRAUMA THAT OCCURRED, THE VA PUT ME ON ANTI~ DEPRESS ANTS AND THAT WAS
A BAR AT LEAST THIS TIME WHEN I WENT IN, BUT I AM SURE THAT WE CAN CLEAR IT UP AND UNFORTUNATELY
ALSO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SUCCEEDED TO GET A STAY FROM THE 9th CIRCUIT COURT SO THAT
PROCESS, I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT FLEW FLAW THE IT FLEW THROUGH THE OFFICE PACKAGE PROCESS.
I DO EXPECT THAT BY MAY WE WILL HAVE REPEALED THE POLICY.
YOU WANT TO REENLIST AGAIN, I DID PRIOR TO ANY OF WHAT HAPPENED HOWEVER
SEAS I HAVE AN INCREDIBLE DESIRE TO SIEVE TO SERVE IS MY COUNTRY AND I'M A FRACTURE
A FRACTURE --I WANT TO UP BRINGING AND MY FEELINGS HAVE NOT CHANGED WHATSOEVER ABOUT
THE MILITARY. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ME IS AN UNFORTUNATE CASE OF DON'T ASK DON'T TELL ALLOWING
FOR THE ABUSE. THAT'S IS WHY LIFE I'VE TRIED TO CONTRIBUTE IN WHAT WAY I CAN TO REPEAL
THE POLICY. THIS POLICY IS AT ODDS WITH THE COUNTRY AND MILITARY. IT'S AT ODDS WITH WHAT
WE BELIEVE IN AND WHAT WE STAND FOR.
I WAS GOING TO SAY, WRAP THAT IN A SENTENCE. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE POLICY'S IMPACT IS ON
THE MILITARY?
WE ARE THE SECOND TO LAST EXHIBIT NUMBER KOINONIA COUNTRY -- >> KOINONIA IS ENFORCING
COUNTRY --I'M PROUD WHEN THE U.S. MILITARY CAN MOVE FORWARD FROM THIS. >> THANK YOU.