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I spoke briefly with Lieutenant Colonel Victor J. Fehrenbach yesterday, and the first thing I did was tell him that as a transgender Persian Gulf War Veteran with service connected disabilities, I thanked him for his service.
To compare mine and his service, my military training over my 20-year US Navy career towards working on the Mark 15 MODs 1-4 Close-In Weapon System and the Mark-92 Mod 2 Gun And Missile Fire Control System probably cost the government less than $150 thousand; Lt. Colonel Fehrenbach’s pilot training cost closer to $25 million. My highest award in the Navy was a Navy Achievement Medal; Lt. Col. Fehrenbach has been decorated for valor.
I’m a war veteran; Lt. Col. Fehrenbach is a war hero.
And yet, as we read in the entry from Keori, Lt. Col. Fehrenbach is being discharged, 2-years short of retirement, under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell rules. His pending discharge is absolutely insane — it’s putting discrimination before the security of America.
On ABC’s This Week, General James Jones seems to be speaking for the Obama Administration when saying that he’s not sure if DADT will be repealed. Pentagon Spokesperson Geoff Morrell stated in a very recent press briefing:
“I do not believe there are any plans under way in this building for some expected, but not articulated, anticipation that don’t ask-don’t tell will be repealed.”
Lt. Colonel Fehrenbach, when I asked him what his thoughts were on what National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones and Pentagon Spokesperson Geoff Morrell, he stated:
“I stand with my Commander in Chief who supports a policy of nondiscrimination. In my military experience, you’re not supposed to contradict your Commander In Chief.”
And yet, the National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones and Pentagon Spokesperson Geoff Morrell did comment in a way that contradicted their Commander In Chief.
Perhaps it’s time for the Pentagon to set up a working group – a working group that’s visible to the general public, as well as visible to the President’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, 
and transgender (LGBT) community constituents — on exactly how to implement the President’s often repeated promise to the LGBT community for repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. When I asked Lt. Col. Fehrenbach is he would want to be part of such a working group, he stated:
“I want to be part of the solution.”
He stated that he’d like to work for such a working group though, as an active duty servicemember. And, that’s the rub, isn’t it?
The Los Angeles Times reported yesterday that President Obama is in no hurry to end ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ – He made a campaign pledge to lift the ban on gays in the military, but neither he nor Congress appears ready to reopen the debate.
Well, as a military veteran myself, I’m tired of the dancing around this issue by the Obama Administration. It’s time to stop with the bullsh*t statements in contrary to the Commander In Chief’s stated goal of repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell — We should be hearing spokespeople stating that they are working to fulfill candidate Barack Obama’s pledge to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. As President Obama has told us previously, his administration is capable of multitasking.
So, this LGBT veteran is calling on the Obama Administration to immediately, and very publicly direct the Pentagon to form a working group for implementing the Commander In Chief’s stated goal of repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
And, if The President wants to employ active duty military personnel to be part of this working group, Second Lieutenant Sandy Tsao, First Lieutenant Dan Choi, and Lt. Col. Fehrenbach would probably all be helpful to the group.
Mr. President, I’m tired of being fed sh*t by your administration, and having your people try to sell us on the idea that sh*t is chocolate. To quote modify a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. from the I Have A Dream speech:
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her lesbian, gay, and bisexual citizens are concerned. Instead of honoring the sacred obligation of equality under the law, America has given lesbian, gay, and bisexual citizens — especially lesbian, gay, and bisexual servicemembers — a bad check, a check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.”We refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy.
The now thing on repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy is kind of a Dallas Principle kind of thing. Mr. President: multitask.
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Further Reading:
* EdgeBoston: White House Sends Mixed Signals About Ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
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Related:
* The Advocate: no sign that the White House has a plan to lift DADT
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H/t: SLDN‘s Kevin Nix
12 Comments
Excellent post, AutumnAnd so glad you were able to thank him for his service…
Some quick thoughts (mine and others with whom I have discussed DADT recently):
1. How many stories of discrimination need to come out for change to occur?
2. How do we organize, gather these stories, and submit who are willing to speak up to every member in Congress? Do we go through MSM, through blogs, both? Do we use real names or can we use aliases to protect those still serving?
3. How many millions of dollars are being wasted as a result of training of soldiers who are later forced out of the military, as well as by the military itself on various lawsuits?
4. How many other nations have to show the US the way, as Uruguay recently did?
i’m taking betswill this come up in todays speech?
Better watch out AutumnThe never been there or done that Obamabots will surely be back for your head for daring to question Dear Leader.
I like Obama. I worked as a volunteer for Obama. I took a day off of my normal job to get people to the polling place in order to vote. I gave money to Obama.
On the other hand, I never fooled myself into believing that he was particularly progressive. I won’t deny though that like you, I am extremely disappointed that he has backtracked on so many promises that he made during the campaign and early part of his administration. I saw a headline this morning that read, “Obama in a Box Over Gitmo”, and the first thing that went through my mind was, “That has a tendency to happen when you capitulate to Republican attack points over and over”.
Now I’m not going to get into a pissing match with any members of team Defend Obama today but I did want to take the time and say thank you from myself and all of the LGBT veterans who have been discharged for being LGBT.
My bet is noHe won’t bring it up. I’m not sure why but he seems to have lost all heart to take on the controversial issues these days.
I’m still extremely upset about this story.This man sacrificed 18 years of his life for our country, and this is how he’s paid back? It is just not acceptable that our government is going to throw him under the bus because of his sexual orientation. Every day that goes by, I feel more and more ashamed of our country.
More from Pentagon spokesman Morell:
So much for Gibbs’ claim that Obama is working with his Secretary of War to repeal the policy.
DADT dataLouise: A Blue Ribbon panel found that DADT costs about $36 million a year ($363.8 million in the first ten years). But think of all the money we’ve saved by not having to pay Lt Col Fehrenbach’s pension!
Lots more data on DADT available at the Palm Center and Servicemembers’ Legal Defense Network.
n/cHow about this as the new logo for the Obama administration?
DADT is more than an LGBT issueMaybe I’m dense, but all of the posts I’ve seen regarding it or people discharged under it seem to stress the fairness side of the issue. While that is definitely a major concern, why is no one stressing these facets of DADT as well?
1) It affects the economy. We’ve already got a weak economy with a high jobless rate. Now, in addition to layoffs in other sectors, we’ve got to absorb these unfairly discharged servicemembers into an already tight job market.
2) It affects national security. We’re fighting wars on 2 fronts, and in order to maintain appropriate strength, we’re having to lower standards for new recruits, and they are having to keep reservists on active duty involuntarily.
Am I off base?
Thanks Autumn…posting to fb…and I sent a good portion in an email to the Whitehouse. I recommend all of you who want to get this law halted do the same.
AbsofreakinglutelyTo my mind, the “fairness” debate is a no-win. When it comes to military service, the issue shouldn’t be fairness.
People with disabilities can’t enlist in the military. Those injured in combat are (honorably) discharged, even if they’d like to continue serving. Not fair? Maybe, but it really doesn’t matter.
The real debate should be: “‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ is bad policy and bad for national security.” Encouraging soldiers, seamen, Marines, and airmen to lie to their colleagues is bad for unit cohesion. Seeing one’s commander or “brother-in-arms” discharged for no good reason is bad for unit cohesion. And losing talented people with much needed skills for no good reason is just a stupid waste of money.
We can’t claim “discrimination” on this one. Lots of people can’t join the service. But if the reasons are stupid and they’re costing us money and talent, then they are bad for the country and need to end. That’s where DADT is.
207 Servicememberswe need a collective effort to gather each anad every one of Obama’s discharges and have them on Rachael’s show. People need to see these soldiers and be told what specialties we have lost and how they have already served our country. It is without a doubt the most selfless service an American can give their country, being a gay soldier.
I also want to hear from Bill Clinton. Let him speak out and say DADT ‘was’ a mistake, and it needs to be changed.