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S.A. vet finds hope in efforts to drop 'don't ask, don't tell'

By Claudia Feldman - Houston Chronicle
Web Posted: 02/03/2010 6:36 CST
 
Eric Alva, the first American service member to be injured in the Iraq War, has been waiting for gays to be allowed to serve openly in the U.S. armed forces all of his adult life.

So the Texan had three words -- "I am ecstatic" -- when he was asked about the recent movement in Washington to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" law.

Earlier this week, the nation's top uniformed officer said it was wrong to force people to lie about who they are in order to defend their country. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, set the stage for Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who said he and others need a year to determine the best way to repeal the ban without creating mayhem.

Alva, a Marine who lost his right leg when he stepped on a land mine outside of Basra, acknowledges that some gay activists think President Obama, Gates and others are moving too slowly to repeal the Bill Clinton-era law.

But Alva says he's not worried.

"I have a good, warm feeling," says Alva, who lives in San Antonio and was born and raised here. "Change doesn't come quickly. Remember how long it took President Truman to integrate the troops? And look at Judy Shepard. It took her 10-plus years to fight for a hate-crimes bill (that included sexual orientation), and she never wavered. She never lost faith."

Alva, 39, says he realized he was gay in middle school but kept the information to himself at home. He was raised a Catholic, he says, and both his father and grandfather served in the military.

After graduating from high school and doing poorly in his first year of college, Alva decided that he, too, wanted to serve his country. He lied about his sexual orientation on the application forms in order to fulfill that goal, he says.

The Marine, later a staff sergeant, served for 13 years, starting in 1990.

"The Marines were a passion," Alva says. "I loved it."

7 comment(s) on "S.A. vet finds hope in efforts to drop 'don't ask, don't tell'"
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Sid Deluca11:40 AM
if y'all hate eric give him back his leg. Your freedom is being secured by the brave women and men of the armed forces, and some of them are gay and lesbian. He was willing to die for a country that treats him like a second class citizen. Wake up, America. If you don't like gay sex, don't have it.
almondtea7:38 AM
eman, it's not about telling people about sexual preference. It's about not getting discharged simply because of sexual preference. You say:"I really don't care if you like to get your freak on with a same sex partner, a goat, a chicken, or whatever. I just don't want you to "tell" me about it, especially if I don't "ASK"!!!" Well, if that was all that was to it, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now. Gay service members aren't being discharged because of sexual harrassment or poor job performance. Many have led successful careers without incident, BUT within months of dropping retirement papers suspicion of their sexuality suddenly arises. Coincidence? These people give 20 or + years of service to their country, only to loose their pension & benefits because of ONE accusation. Ever go to a unit function where you have a 30/40 year old service member never with a girlfriend/boyfriend on their arm, a spouse, children, or knowledge of at least being divorced once? Strange isn't it? Military service members gossip WORSE than a gaggle of women. Now add a disgruntled superior, peer, or subordinate to the mix who delights in having an upper hand in screwing up someone elses life just because they CAN. Being discharged for sexual harrassment is one thing (and happens QUITE often concerning heteros BTW). But being discharged simply because someone questions how hetero a service member actually is, is QUITE another thing altogether.
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