Lt. Dan Choi chose not to hide, but the end of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell didn’t come soon enough for him. Photo by Rink.

Little more than a year after he came out publicly, Lieutenant Dan Choi has been officially fired from the Army as a result of “Don’t Ask/ Don’t Tell,” the anti-gay ban on openly serving in the military. An Iraq war veteran and West Point graduate from Orange County, Choi was honorably discharged on July 22 by Brigadier General Patrick Murphy (no relation to Congressman Patrick Murphy, also an Iraq veteran who has been fighting to repeal DA/DT). Choi had announced he was gay on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show a year and four months ago on March 19. He had been waiting for military officials to decide whether he would be discharged.

According to Newsweek, Choi got the call from his commander at the 1/69 Infantry Regiment of the New York Army National Guard, and it was nothing but bad news. Choi had also just learned from another source that a letter had been received some time ago, with confirmed receipt by his father in Orange County officially declaring him fired from the Army. Choi said he and his father, a Southern Baptist minister, had not been on speaking terms for some time.

“After 11 years since beginning my journey at West Point and after 17 months of serving openly as an infantry officer, this is both an infuriating and painful announcement,” said Choi in an official statement. “But my service continues. To all those veterans who have endured similar trials and injustices or prematurely ended their military service because of the unjust policy: our fight has only begun.” He continued, “The true honor and dignity of service does not come from a piece of paper, a pension or paycheck, a rank or status; only an unflinching commitment to improve the lives of others can determine the nature of one’s service. From the first moment we put on our nation’s uniform and swore our solemn oath, we committed ourselves to fight for freedom and justice; to defend our constitution and put the needs of others before our own. This is not an oath that I intend to abandon. Doing so at such a time, or remaining silent when our family and community members are fired or punished for who they truly are would be an unequivocal moral dereliction that tarnishes the honor of the uniform and insults the meaning of America.”

“Dan Choi has become the face of DA/DT,” Rick Jacobs, executive director of Courage Campaign told Bay Times. “At Netroots Nation on Saturday in Las Vegas, Senator Harry Reid began his remarks by saying that he thought that the discharge from the Army of Lieutenant Dan Choi was wrong and that DA/DT must be repealed. A bit later, Lieutenant Choi’s West Point ring was presented to Senator Reid, who promised to hold onto it until the DA/DT repeal is signed. They then embraced on stage.”
“If the majority leader of the US Senate can embrace openly gay, highly trained and very valuable Dan Choi, why can’t the rest of the senate?” Jacobs asked. The latest public polls show that 75% of the nation favors repeal of DA/DT. “Courage Campaign considers Dan as part of our family,” said Jacobs. “Our members have submitted collectively nearly 500,000 letters and petitions on behalf of Dan and repeal of DA/DT.” He concluded, “Everyone knows that DA/DT is bad for America. Let no more Dan Chois be discharged for the simple desire to serve our nation with honesty, integrity, and openness.”
“I met Dan Choi for the first time the day after he heard about his discharge; he was crestfallen and shocked,” Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights told Bay Times. “It is barbaric that our country refuses to allow individuals to serve in the military based on sexual orientation. It is the height of hypocrisy in a nation that pretends to stand for freedom and liberty.” Kendell continued, “Our convictions are not backed by our actions, and our lack of moral authority undermines everything we say we uphold.”

“Lieutentant Choi’s discharge is further proof that ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ does nothing but weaken our military and our national security,” Joe Solmonese, president of Human Rights Campaign told Bay Times. “Tragically his name is now added to the more than 14,000 patriotic men and women who were forced out of service simply because of their sexual orientation. Every single service member lost to DA/DT should be a clarion call to the Senate, the White House and the Pentagon that repeal must be passed, signed, and implemented as soon as possible.”

“As much as you build up your armor and get ready for those words saying you are fired, you can’t deal with that pain and the emotion,” said Choi in a Maddow interview. “My career is over, and I know that there are still hundreds of other people who are going to be fired and will go through the same thing throughout this year.” He said he did not regret coming out. “Being in the closet is a poison and a deadly toxic disease,” he said. He has since taken part in several incidences of civil disobedience and been purposely arrested for his protesting. The charges were later dropped. If the policy is repealed, he said he would sign up again. “There has been nothing but positive impact,” he said, regarding his relationship with fellow military men who he has been serving with for 17 months “quite openly.”

“There is no need for anybody to be afraid,” said Choi. “There is no need for a survey or a poll or for people to put up shower curtains for fear of what might happen,” said Choi. “When you tell people around you the truth of who you are, there is nothing but an increase in unit cohesion, teamwork, and trust.”

Meanwhile the Senate is likely to take up the issue of whether to end the “Don’t Ask/ Don’t Tell” policy in September, as part of the debate over the defense-authorization measure for next year (the vehicle to which repeal language is attached), according to Senator Carl Levin, (D-Mich.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. But the Senate leadership must still agree on the timing of the consideration of the defense bill. Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, predicts “repeal proponents will prevail” in a close vote. Sarvis said his organization is also urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to bring the defense legislation to the floor “right after the Labor Day recess.” Sarvis said, “Yes, it would have been better if we were on the Senate floor this month, but the calendar was just too crowded.”