On February 28th, the first U.S. military personnel wounded in the
Iraq war, retired Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, came out as a gay man.
The Human Rights Campaign announced that Alva will serve as a national
spokesperson in an effort to repeal the U.S. military's discriminatory
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.
On March 21, 2003, Alva was in charge of 11 Marines in a supply unit in
Iraq when he stepped on a landmine, losing his right leg. Alva spent
months of rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Hospital where he was
visited by President Bush, First Lady Laura Bush and former Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. He was awarded a Purple Heart for his service
and received a medical discharge from the military.
Alva publicly announced, for the first time, that he is gay today during
a Capitol Hill press conference to reintroduce the Military Readiness
Enhancement Act, legislation to repeal the ban against openly gay and
lesbian Americans serving in the military.
"When Eric Alva lost his leg in Iraq, it didn't matter whether he was
gay or straight, only that he was a courageous American serving his
country," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "Eric's
voice represents the sacrifice of thousands of gay and lesbian service
members fighting for the safety and freedom of all Americans. We believe
his story should help move this issue forward and educate Congress as to
why it's so important to lift the discriminatory ban that compromises
our nation's security."
"Any Americans willing to serve their country shouldn't have to worry
about whether or not the government will give them fair and equal
treatment when they return home," said Alva. "My proudest moment in the
military came when I would confide in one of my friends about my sexual
orientation, and they still treated me with the same respect as before.
And although I'm no longer wearing the uniform of the U.S. Marine Corps,
my mission continues to be protecting the rights and freedoms of all
Americans."
Alva has widely discussed his recovery and the war through appearances
on numerous TV news shows and "The Oprah Winfrey Show." He has also been
profiled in several major newspapers and in People magazine. But today
is the first time he has publicly talked about his sexual orientation in
relation to his military service.
"We salute Eric for his bravery on and off the battlefield," continued
Solmonese. "The courage and sacrifice of gay and lesbian service
members, like Eric Alva, should be heralded, not silenced."
As spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, Alva will raise awareness of the harmful effects of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy through
public appearances, media interviews and blog postings. Alva will also
meet with key congressional leaders to urge the repeal of this costly,
discriminatory policy during the Human Rights Campaign lobby day on
Thursday, March 1.
In 2005, the Government Accountability Office estimated that the cost to
recruit and train replacements for enlisted service members separated
under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban was more than $190 million from
fiscal years 1994 through 2003.
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