STF NA MÍDIA

members from rising to the
highest level of responsibility
possible regardless of sexual
orientation."
Across the US, groups that
have long lobbied for the
change welcomed the news.
Mike Thompson, of the media
monitoring group Gay
and Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation, said: "Today,
America took a momentous
step forward in the pursuit of
full equality by fully repealing
Don t Ask, Don t Tell
and opening its military to
every brave man and woman
willing to serve, whether
straight or gay."
He said: "The courage, perseverance
and patriotism
displayed by the American
military shines even more
brightly today as our nation
strengthens its national security
and takes a firm stand
against discrimination in
our armed forces."
Mike Breen, a former army
captain and vice president of
the Truman National Security
Project, a security thinktank,
said he was "overjoyed"
that the policy is over.
"It is long overdue and has
no place in a military at war
time."
Breen, who led a group of
paratroopers in the Korengal
and Pech valleys in Afghanistan,
often in support of
special forces, has first-hand
experience of how DADT
robbed the military of firstrate
soldiers.
A section leader under his
command in Afghanistan,
whom he recommended and
who was later awarded a
Bronze Star for heroism, had
left the military because of
the policy, he said.
"When a helicopter crashed,
he tackled a young private in
his charge, shielding him
with his body. He showed
the sort of leadership we tend
to lionise in the military. He
loved being a soldier, but he
left in part because he wanted
a personal life."
Many campaigners paid tribute
to those who have suffered
as a result of the policy.
Lieutenant Daniel Choi is a
former US officer and now
rights campaigner who was
kicked out of the army for
being gay after serving in
Iraq in 2007.
He said: "This is not a moment
when I have been out
chugging beers. There are
still a lot of unknowns for us
who want to go back. I also
think this is a moment when
I remember those who were
kicked out and even those
who committed suicide after
they were kicked out … this
is still just the beginning."
The US defence department
will now publish revised regulations
to reflect the new
policy.
The lifting of the ban also
brings a halt to all pending
investigations, discharges
and other administrative proceedings
that were begun
under the law.
Marine Corps veteran Corporal
Evelyn Thomas, a lesbian
who was discharged after
four years of service, said: "It
is remarkable. It is wonderful
that this time has come."
In 2009, Thomas founded
The Sanctuary Project Veterans,
which aims to look after
the concerns of those affected
by the now repealed law.
She said: "When I was in the
military, I had to serve in
secret. I had to compromise
my integrity."
However, like other gay rights
advocates, she said the
repeal of DADT was just part
of a wider battle. She said
many gay veterans discharged
under DADT were often
told – wrongly – that they
were not eligible for full healthcare
benefits through the
US department of veterans
affairs.
Thomas said that her organisation
would now put advocacy
on this issue at the forefront
of its mission.
"There are a lot of veterans
who are eligible for these
benefits, but they don t know
about it. We are going to
educate lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender veterans,"
she said.
S T F N A M Í D I A • 2 2 d e s e t e m b r o d e 2 0 1 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P Á G I N A 2 3 4