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Lt. Dan Choi Honorably Discharged From the Military by Emily Isaac June 23, 2010 |
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photo by Wikimedia Commons
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Dan Choi |
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Army National Guard Lt. Dan Choi, a West Point-trained Arabic-linguist, has been honorably discharged from the military under its Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.
According to Gay City News, the Lt. turned gay rights activist, received notice by mail and telephone on June 29th from his National Guard Unit.
Choi, who came out on national television 17 months ago to join the fight against DADT, called the letter, which he released Thursday, "an infuriating and painful announcement."
"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," he wrote in an e-mailed statement. "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."
Choi is using his situation to catalyze the fight against DADT. He has allegedly organized protests and hunger strikes, once chaining himself to the fence of the White House in opposition to the policy.
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