Cuts, Cuts, and More Cuts

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel 
(original photo from military.com - linked below)

I just read the article "Hagel Can't Offer Hope in Budget Cuts" from military.com and it's full of the same depressing news that I've been hearing for a long time. Congress can't get their act together and pass a balanced budget. He stated that the furloughs "which have forced a 20 percent pay cut on most of the military's civilian workforce, probably will continue next year and might worsen!"

I am now dealing with this on a weekly basis. There are a lot of areas on post that are just closed or have reduced staff certain days of the week. The job they need to do doesn't go away, so it just gets backed up. Now these civilians have a 20% pay cut and a bigger workload. It doesn't just cause them problems, but it causes problems for the soldiers as well. Now places can be busier than ever because of the shorter hours and soldiers have less time to access these services. My mother-in-law now has to deal with a paycheck that is 20% smaller...and that's not an easy thing to do. In addition to the financial pain and the longer wait times, it's causing pretty low moral from everyone affected.

The whole thing just sucks! You know who it doesn't suck for? Congress...they don't have their pay reduced by 20%, they don't have to deal with any of the issues they are causing. This is some pretty disappointing news. Of course the military budget has to be cut, we are finishing up two wars and we are downsizing...but there has to be a better way.

**Update** It's Friday here on Ft. Lewis and at some places it seems like a ghost town. Waller Hall where everyone processes in and out usually has a full parking lot, today there are open spaces everywhere you look. This isn't the only place like this on post, these furloughs are affecting the ability of the soldiers stationed here...everything has to be put off until later.

Medal of Honor - SFC Petry

 Medal of Honor recipient SFC Petry

I had the opportunity to listen to SFC Petry tell his story yesterday at our battalion town hall meeting. There are many soldiers who have been deployed and paid the ultimate sacrifice. There are also many that have been injured while serving. I'm currently in a WTB (Warrior Transition Battalion) which is full of broken soldiers who have injuries from physical to mental. SFC Petry is a ranger that has been deployed multiple times, seen soldiers die and get injured. He was injured and ended up earning the medal of honor while trying to throw an enemy grenade back after it landed next to his soldiers. He lost his right hand in the attempt and now wears a prosthetic right hand. You can read all about him at http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/petry/.

He shared his story about his life both before and after getting injured. He is a humble guy who really wants to help out others. During his speech, he mentioned something that really stuck with me. He was visiting a couple other wounded warriors at a hospital and said a gentleman came up to him and thanked him for his service. SFC Petry has a prosthetic right hand now, and that same gentleman mentioned something about the sacrifice SFC Petry has made and then went on about his business. SFC Petry said he has come a long way and can get pretty much everything done along with his prosthetic hand. He also got shot in the legs and those wounds still constantly hurt him today unlike his prosthetic hand. The couple of wounded warriors that he was visiting during this process both looked normal on the outside, but they had suffered bullet wounds that tore up their insides. They were both in pain constantly and one had a colostomy. You couldn't see the bag that held his feces because it was under his shirt. SFC Petry said that there are a lot of us that don't have wounds you can see, but just like the constant pain in his legs, these soldier are dealing with pain in some sort or another.

All of us in the WTB can relate to this message. This happens to be my case. I didn't get deployed and I may look normal on the outside, but I'm in quite a bit of constant pain on the inside because of my issues. Hopefully others will remember that even if the wound isn't visible, a lot of us are still dealing with injuries and pain all the time.

SFC Petry elected to stay in the service and is still contributing everyday even with his prosthetic right hand and the constant pain in his legs that nobody sees. It was an honor to meet him and hear his story.

When All Else Fails...Become a War Hero!

I was looking over my last few posts and they have been a little negative. Either about our government or the army. So this one is going to be a little more positive! An old co-worker of mine when I worked in the newspaper business posted an article on facebook that made me curious, so I had to check it out.

The article is titled "The Rock 'n' Roll Casualty Who Became a War Hero". The title itself was interesting enough for me to check out, but there was another reason...the person it was about, is a guy who grew up in the town of Poulsbo...not too far away from where I grew up. The article is about a guy named Jason Everman who not only was kicked out of one band right before they made it big, but two bands right before they exploded! The two bands in question are local bands from Seattle that I also love, but had never heard this story. Jason Everman was kicked out of both Nirvana and then Soundgarden right before they made it in the music business.

Most people would probably give up and live in a depressed state for the rest of their lives I imagine. All the "what ifs" would haunt you forever. This guy instead took a U-turn and decided to join the army. He went to Ft. Benning for basic training (like me). He loved it so much and had the drive to not only become an army ranger, but then special forces. He was in Afghanistan and Iraq and ended up being a decorated war hero. The story is amazing and you should take the time to read it by clicking on the link above!

Now Our Government is Censoring it's own Soldiers

This kind of pissed me off when I read the headline that stated "US Military Blocks Access to The Guardian Website for Troops Around the World". After reading the story I had to check out The Guardian website for myself. It's just your typical news website, but because it published some stories that our government does not like, it gets put on the blacklist. This is something that one would expect to see the Chinese government doing or perhaps the North Korean government...not the U.S. government! I mean we are the land of the free and the home of the brave right? Our soldiers fight for that freedom, but they don't deserve their own freedom on the internet. They only get to see what the government censors decide is OK for viewing. That is not freedom folks! The comments after the story state exactly what I'm thinking.

Communist governments and dictatorships control the flow of information to control their people. Our government is starting to do the same thing. I am seeing this more and more all the time. It starts with something small and just keeps happening more and more. I used to think those who always complain about our mainstream media filtering content were nut jobs with crazy conspiracy theories...but after being overseas and having my eyes opened a bit, I'm not so sure now.

LGBT Military Perspective on DOMA Decision

(Washington, DC) In a 5 to 4 decision, the United States Supreme Court today ruled in the case U.S. v. Windsor that part of the so­ called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which became law in 1996, is unconstitutional because it is a deprivation of the equal protection of the law guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment. Today’s ruling strikes down Section 3 of the law which allowed the federal government to recognize only marriages between a man and a woman.

“Today, we congratulate plaintiff Edie Windsor, her incredible legal team, and all those who have stood up for the freedom to marry in America. This victory is especially sweet for our nation’s lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members, who can now not only serve openly, but can serve knowing that their loving, committed, and legal marriages will be recognized by the military they serve and the nation they protect,” said Army veteran and OutServe­SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.

Currently twelve states and the District of Columbia permit same­gender marriages. Robinson said today’s victory adds to the rapidly growing momentum for marriage in the U.S.

“This victory energizes our work moving forward and lays a new, strong foundation for ensuring marriage for all loving and committed couples in our country across all fifty states,” said Robinson.

Robinson thanked the plaintiffs in OutServe­SLDN’s landmark litigation, McLaughlin v. Panetta, which was filed in October 2011 on behalf of eight married gay and lesbian military couples seeking equal recognition, support, and benefits, for their part in bringing the stories of gay and lesbian military families to the fore. Despite today’s ruling, the McLaughlin case will move forward because the case challenges the constitutionality of other statutes in addition to DOMA.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to the McLaughlin plaintiffs today, including the late Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan and her family, all of whom courageously stepped forward to do something very difficult: to file suit against their employer, the Department of Defense, as well the Department of Veterans Affairs. In doing so, they stood up not only for their own families, but for countless LGBT military families they will never know. Their stories have been, and will continue to be, a game­changer as the marriage fight marches forward,” said Robinson.

Robinson called on the Pentagon to act immediately and unequivocally to implement today’s ruling.“Secretary Hagel has already demonstrated his commitment to LGBT military families, just as he promised he would during his confirmation. Today the Court cleared the way for him to take the next step. We expect Secretary Hagel to act so that all families affected by today’s ruling gain access to full recognition, benefits, and support no later than sixty days from today. OutServe­SLDN will be working with the Pentagon and the VA to ensure that the greatest number of federal protections, responsibilities and programs are available to all military couples as soon as possible,” said Robinson.

ABOUT OUTSERVE­-SLDN: OutServe­-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world. It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non­partisan, non­profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS­-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination.

Straight Military Allies Featured in New Video

Military Campaign Releases Video Featuring Straight Allies for Equality

(Washington, DC) Today, Freedom to Marry and Outserve-SLDN released the latest video in their “Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry” campaign series, featuring three prominent straight allies – Retired Rear Admiral Jamie Barnett, Army Major Mary Bergner, and former Congressman and Army Captain Patrick Murphy – speaking out in support of married gay and lesbian service members. The so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) prevents legally married same-sex couples from receiving over 1,100 federal protections that opposite-sex couples receive.

“What a tremendous day when ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was repealed,” says Retired Rear Admiral Barnett in the video. “The challenge now is not letting anybody think that it’s over. There’s still law that embeds discrimination.”

“I always fought for equality and believed in equality,” adds Army Major Bergner.

The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMxDSXQFW2k.

This is the final pre-DOMA decision video of a year-long series by Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry to highlight the harms of DOMA on service people. Previously released videos feature married same-sex military couples such as the late Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan of the New Hampshire National Guard and her wife Karen; Captain Steve M. Hill and his husband Josh Snyder; and Major Shannon McLaughlin and her wife Casey.

“America’s gay and lesbian service members are just as brave, courageous, and heroic as non-gay soldiers, yet they are still barred from sharing in the critical safety-net of protections that come with being legally married,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry. “No service member should have to worry about their family while they are risking their lives overseas. It’s time for the federal government to give gay and lesbian soldiers, their military spouses, and their families the same respect and support that non-gay soldiers receive, and strike down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.”

“As we await the Supreme Court’s decision, we are reminded that this is not just a gay or lesbian issue. This goes to the heart of readiness, retention, and cohesion, and America’s service members and veterans - no matter what their sexual orientation - know that this is a discriminatory and harmful law that must be relegated to the dustbins of history,” said Army Veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.

For more information on Freedom to Serve, Freedom to Marry, visit www.freedomtomarry.org/serve.

ABOUT FREEDOM TO MARRY: Freedom to Marry is the campaign to win marriage nationwide. We are pursuing our Roadmap to Victory by working to win the freedom to marry in more states, grow the national majority for marriage, and end federal marriage discrimination. We partner with individuals and organizations across the country to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage and the protections, responsibilities, and commitment that marriage brings.

ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world. It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

LGB Service Members to Close NYSE June 28

LGB Service Members Set to Ring New York Stock Exchange Closing Bell June 28

OutServe-SLDN NYC Pride Kickoff Happy Hour will follow historic Wall Street closing ceremony

(New York, NY) OutServe-SLDN announced today that the co-chair of its board of directors, Air Force Officer Josh Seefried, who co-founded the OutServe network in 2010, will join actively serving gay and lesbian service members for an historic Closing Bell ceremony on Friday, June 28. The afternoon will begin with a panel discussion before the group rings the closing bell to end the New York Stock Exchange's trading day. The Wall Street events will be followed by a Happy Hour to kick off New York City Pride Weekend.

“OutServe-SLDN thanks the New York Stock Exchange for recognizing the courage and sacrifice of America’s LGB service members in this way, and we are thrilled to be invited to ring the closing bell as New York City Pride weekend begins,” said Army veteran and OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson.

At 2:30 p.m. EDT, the New York Stock Exchange will host a panel discussion in the Exchange’s board room, featuring Seefried and other actively serving LGB members of the armed forces, who will share their perspectives on serving following the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The panel will be introduced by NYSE Euronext COO Lawrence Leibowitz, and moderated by former Interbank Roundtable Committee Co-Chair and Citibank Director Andrew Sendall, who is a former US Air Force officer.

At 4:00 p.m. EDT, the group of actively serving LGB service members will ring The NYSE Closing Bell®.

At 5:30, the service members will move to RockBar, located at 185 Christopher Street, where they will be the honored guests at an OutServe-SLDN Happy Hour to kick off New York City Pride Weekend. The public is invited to the Happy Hour event, which will feature performances by The Broadway Boys. Tickets start at $25 and are available here:http://osnycpride.eventbrite.com/

ABOUT OUTSERVE-SLDN: OutServe-SLDN is the association of actively serving LGBT military personnel with more than fifty chapters and 6500 members around the world It works to support a professional network of LGBT military personnel and create an environment of respect in the military with regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. It is a non-partisan, non-profit, legal services and policy organization dedicated to bringing about full LGBT equality to America's military and ending all forms of discrimination and harassment of military personnel on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. OS-SLDN provides free and direct legal assistance to service members and veterans affected by the repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law and the prior regulatory ban on open service, as well as those currently serving who may experience harassment or discrimination. For more information, visit www.outserve-sldn.org.

ABOUT NYSE EURONEXT: NYSE Euronext (NYX) is a leading global operator of financial markets and provider of innovative trading technologies. The company's exchanges in Europe and the United States trade equities, futures, options, fixed-income and exchange-traded products. With approximately 8,000 listed issues (excluding European Structured Products), NYSE Euronext's equities markets - the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Euronext, NYSE MKT, NYSE Alternext and NYSE Arca - represent one-third of the world’s equities trading, the most liquidity of any global exchange group. NYSE Euronext also operates NYSE Liffe, one of the leading European derivatives businesses and the world's second-largest derivatives business by value of trading. The company offers comprehensive commercial technology, connectivity and market data products and services through NYSE Technologies. NYSE Euronext is in the S&P 500 index. For more information, please visit: http://www.nyx.com.

ABOUT INTERBANK ROUNDTABLE COMMITTEE: The Interbank Roundtable Committee’s (IRC) is a voluntary NY-based ‘network of networks’ with representatives from 28 financial services industry organization’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Employee Resource Groups (ERG). The IRC serves as an open forum where members share best practices on promoting inclusive work environments and policies, engaging senior management and straight allies, building ERG membership and coordinating networking, professional development, and philanthropic activities across the industry. The IRC helps members build their professional network within the financial industry, while also promoting the financial industry as the industry of choice for LGBT individuals. For more information, visit www.interbanknyc.org.