Decorated Airman to Be Sacrificed on Altar of DADT

The Washington Post has a story on Air Force Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach who is about to be discharged from the military because of the religious based discriminatory Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Fehrenbach's pending discharge shows the idiocy of a policy where qualified members of the military are discharged literally daily at the same time that the military is recruiting gang members, those with felony records, and individuals without a high school education. When the disingenuous arguments of the Christianists and far right are stripped away, the only purpose is to keep LGBT Americans inferior under the law so that our enemies can then point to such inferiority as a justification for their bigotry. DADT needs to be abolished NOW. Here are some story highlights:

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For Air Force Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach, time is running out on efforts to overturn restrictions on gays serving in the U.S. military. The weapons system officer -- who during 18 years of service has flown combat missions in F-15E fighters and other aircraft over Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia, and now serves as assistant director of operations for an Air Force squadron in Idaho -- faces discharge after a civilian reported to authorities last year that Fehrenbach is gay.

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Fehrenbach, who has nine Air Medals, including one for heroism under fire during an enemy ambush near Baghdad in 2003, intended to resign. But he changed his mind last fall with the prospect of a Barack Obama presidency. As a candidate, Obama promised that the law would be overturned, . . .

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In April, a review board ruled against Fehrenbach, and unless Air Force Secretary Michael Donley rejects the recommendation, he will be dismissed. If he is unable to retire with 20 years of service, Fehrenbach will lose nearly $50,000 a year in retirement pay as well as medical benefits. More disappointing, Fehrenbach said, is being unable to serve the country in a time of war.

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More than 13,000 service members have been discharged from the military since the law was passed, though the number of annual discharges has declined by almost half since 2001. "When we need you, your sexual orientation seems to be less of a factor," Sarvis said. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network estimates that 326 service members have been discharged since Obama was sworn in.

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No doubt Elaine Donnelly and similar gay-haters are nearly having orgasms over the thought of Fehrenbach being thrown out of the armed forces. Donnelly and those like her are truly sick and vile people.