American Veterans for Equal Rights

American Veterans for Equal Rights

American Veterans for Equal Rights logo
Founded 1990
Location
Website aver.us
Formerly called
 Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Veterans of America

American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER) is a U.S. non-profit organization which supports and advocates for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender veterans of the United States Armed Forces.

It was founded by several LGBT veterans including St. Sgt. (Army Reserve-Rtd.) Miriam Ben-Shalom; Navy Ensign, Jim Woodward, president of the San Diego Veterans Association; Chuck Schoen;[1] bisexual US Army veteran Cliff Arnesen of the New England Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Veterans, Boston MA;[2] in 1990 as the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Veterans of America, the oldest organization of LGBT veterans.[3]

History

Ben-Shalom, a lesbian Army Reserve enlisted soldier who was discharged in 1975 by the military after it was revealed by a higher officer that she was lesbian, fought through the judicial system to retain her post. While initially successful, a higher federal Court of Appeals ultimately reversed the decision.

To help defend others in similar situations, she worked with other LGBT veterans to establish the GLBVA in 1990.[3] Ben-Shalom served as National President until shortly after the 1993 March on Washington, when her resignation was demanded by unanimous action of the Board of Directors due to consequences relating to several events during the days of the March program. The organization attended the March showing a list of over thirty chapters and affiliated organizations. Not long after the March, that number had dropped to fewer than six active local chapters or affiliates after large numbers of members expressed extreme dissatisfaction with events that took place during the March.

GLBVA was incorporated for the first time, in Vermont, in 1993 by action of then-National President Gene F. Barfield and then-National Vice President Nancy Russell. Upon Barfield's resignation, retired Army LCOL Russell succeeded to the National Presidency in 1994, the first of several incumbencies by her in that position.

In 1994 the national officers of GLBVA held the first meeting ever between a nationwide LGBT military and veterans organization and a member of the President's Cabinet. Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs Hershel W. Gober sat down for a meeting with Nancy Russell (of Texas), then National President, Steve Webb (of Michigan), then National Vice President, Bob Hoy (of Florida), then National Vice President for Veterans Affairs, and Gene F. Barfield (of Vermont), then National Secretary and a former National President. Secretary Gober expressed the Administration's commitment to equal access and treatment for all qualified veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs, regardless of sexual orientation. During this same Washington lobbying visit, GLBVA officers presented Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) with a certificate of honorary life membership, the first ever granted by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors.

By 1996, James Darby, a Chicago native who organized the Chicago chapter of GLBVA, became President of the organization, and was received in 1997 by White House Senior Adviser for Public Liaison Richard Socarides[4] and by Pentagon officials.[5] Under Darby's leadership, the "Lexington Declaration" called on U.S. president Bill Clinton to lift the ban on open service in the military by homosexuals.[6]

On May 2, 2005, the GLBVA, under president Jim Donovan, changed its name to the American Veterans for Equal Rights. The organization was formally incorporated as a 501(c)19 organization under president Alan J. Rogue (died 2010). Danny Ingram, a Georgia native and former sergeant of the U.S. Army who was discharged immediately after DADT came into force, succeeded Rogue as president; he represented AVER at the 2010 signature ceremony at which the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 was signed into law. Ingram was succeeded in 2013 by Lieutenant Colonel Steve Loomis (U.S. Army, Ret.), who is the incumbent president.

In 2007 American Veterans for Equal Rights was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.[7]

Organization

Major Alan G. Rogers (third from right), U.S. Army, receiving an award for his work as Treasurer and membership chairman at the D.C. Chapter of AVER, January 16, 2005. Rogers, while closeted to his superiors, was killed in an explosion in Baghdad, Iraq in January 2008.

The organization is chapter-based, and local chapters organize many of their own activities. For example, the Chicago chapter organized a ceremony to mark the end of "Don't ask, don't tell" (DADT).[8] With the city of Chicago, AVER sponsors an annual tribute to gay and lesbian veterans.[9]

References

  1. ↑ AVER Co-Founder Chuck Schoen has Passed away, March 17, 2014 American Veterans for Equal Rights.
  2. ↑ 2010 Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repealed! A look back at Bi one veteran’s story, December 22, 2010 BiNet USA.
  3. 1 2 OutServe Magazine: Steve Loomis, "A Difficult Fight Pays Off,", accessed February 12, 2012
  4. ↑ "Special Assistant to the President Meets with GLBVA". AVER. 16 May 1997.
  5. ↑ "GLBVA meet with Pentagon Officials". AVER. 16 May 1997.
  6. ↑ "Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Veterans of America, Inc. Release "Lexington Declaration"". AVER. March 20, 1997.
  7. ↑ http://www.glhalloffame.org/index.pl?page=inductees&todo=year
  8. ↑ ABC News: Leah Hope, "Group celebrates end of 'don't ask, don't tell'," September 21, 2011, accessed February 21, 2012. See also Chicago Tribune: Ryan Haggerty, "Gay veteran who fought 'don't ask, don't tell' will re-enlist for military service," October 24, 2011, accessed February 21, 2012
  9. ↑ Chicago History Museum: Jessica Herczeg-Konecny, "Salute to LGBT Veterans," July 26, 2011, accessed February 21, 2012

External links

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