Veterans from across the Bay Area gathered in San Jose yesterday to mark Veterans Day. Two veterans were conspicuously absent. Jason Knight and Jeffrey Kongslie Correa both studied at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, then served their country overseas. But Knight, a Hebrew linguist, was later discharged—twice—from the U.S. Navy under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Correa, who studied Arabic and spent six years in the Air Force, decided not to reenlist because of the discriminatory policy. He is now co-owner of the Vino Cruz wine shop in Santa Cruz. On Thursday the two walked from the gates of the Presidio in Monterey all the way to Santa Cruz to protest the law that prevents openly gay and lesbian men and women from serving in the military. Knight is one of 12,000 men and women who’ve been discharged from the military since 1994 because they are gay, even though the country is fighting two wars—and even though many servicemen and women are now their their third tour of duty overseas because of a shortage of soldiers.
Veterans from across the Bay Area gathered in San Jose yesterday to mark Veterans Day. Two veterans were conspicuously absent. Jason Knight and Jeffrey Kongslie Correa both studied at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, then served their country overseas. But Knight, a Hebrew linguist, was later discharged—twice—from the U.S. Navy under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Correa, who studied Arabic and spent six years in the Air Force, decided not to reenlist because of the discriminatory policy. He is now co-owner of the Vino Cruz wine shop in Santa Cruz. On Thursday the two walked from the gates of the Presidio in Monterey all the way to Santa Cruz to protest the law that prevents openly gay and lesbian men and women from serving in the military. Knight is one of 12,000 men and women who’ve been discharged from the military since 1994 because they are gay, even though the country is fighting two wars—and even though many servicemen and women are now their their third tour of duty overseas because of a shortage of soldiers.
Though President Obama has promised to repeal DADT, he has yet to take action. A study conducted by the military has recommended repeal, and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates supports it as well, but the government has acted slowly. In some cases, division over repeal even divides families—Senator John McCain is against repeal, but his wife Cindy has spoken out for it.
Correa is optimistic. “For any service member on the ground with other service members, you know it’s not a big deal,” he says. This is backed up by the report itself, which found that 70 percent of active duty military personnel thought that the repeal was “no big deal.” Knight and Correa are simply putting faces on the hundreds and thousands of gay soldiers who must live in secrecy as they serve. Read more at KSBW and the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
