In a closed-to-the-media military panel in Syracuse yesterday, New York National Guard First Lt. Dan Choi was given the fate Barack Obama told him he should expect: It’s time to go. A four-member Army board yesterday heard Choi’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell case and concluded he should be discharged.
The decision now falls into the hands of Lt. Gen. Thomas Miller of the First Army Division, and Gen. Craig McKinley, the chief of the National Guard Bureau.
Choi, an Arabic linguist and Iraq vet, hasn’t been quiet since the day he came out public on Rachel Maddow‘s television show. From there, he’s made numerous media appearances, taken part in pride parades and protests, and as the most public face of Knights Out — the West Point society of openly gay servicemembers — likely isn’t going away until the president makes good on his promise to repeal DADT.
“Today was a setback for me,” said Choi yesterday evening after he learned of his fate. “I got in trouble for saying three words. ‘I am gay.'”
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Tuesday’s hearing was held in Syracuse because it is the headquarters of the 27th Brigade Combat Team, which oversees Choi’s National Guard unit, the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry. It was closed to the public and the media.
Choi and his attorney provided the hearing panel with a disc that contained letters and petitions signed by 260,000 people supporting Choi’s efforts to stay in the National Guard.
“I served with him for six months on the sands of Iraq. Dan was — and is — a fine officer, one of the best I’ve ever met,” wrote Army Maj. Jessica McCoy. “Soldiers do not care about sexual orientation. They care about mission, a hot meal, and surviving until they get home.”
Choi and three other witnesses from the New York National Guard testified, said Maj. Roy Diehl, Choi’s attorney. Choi said that none of the witnesses said he was a poor officer or that they would object to serving with him.
The hearing board also watched a video clip of Choi outing himself on March 19 on MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show.
UPDATE: Dan Choi reacts after learning of his news, and calls Obama’s words a “big slap in the face to me.” He adds: “Every single one of our leaders needs to step up, stop hiding and punting it to each other. Come out of the closet and be leaders. Our national security depends on it.”
Aaron
This truly makes me ashamed of my country and our leadership.
We are the only minority that can still be so blatantly hated and discriminated against.
As for any of you apologists that will try to sugarcoat and say “things are changing, have patience”, YOU are the reason this is still happening. If our own gay brothers and sisters don’t feel outraged, how the hell do we expect the rest of the country to feel this is wrong?
In the Fine Arts Library
fuck
mike
CORRECTION”
LT Choi does not wear “fatigues”
LT Choi wears ACU’s, the current combat uniform worn by the US Army.
Jesus
I view gay rights for soldiers like I view gay rights for serial murderers or people that belong to organizations that engage in large scale slaughter of civilian populations, like soldiers for instance, or those that gleefuly sign up to fight illegal wars.
He partakes in the slaughter and then cries for mommy when they find out he’s gay. What a joke, the douchebag probably would think he fought for my right to say this, when in fact the fuckwad hasn’t done a thing that my freedom has ever hinged on, same goes for the rest of the troops.
If you want to wage a war of aggression, go fuck yourself and die.
Thanks, it’s not your gayness that makes you a disgrace Choi!
Tumblor
Military brass needs to learn how to focus. The lieutenant is by all accounts an awesome soldier, but his superiors think his making a irrelevant comment about his personal life warrants booting him out. That comment was totally irrelevant to his job and therefore totally irrelevant to national security. Concentrate, you generals. Dan Choi can do his job without getting distracted by sexual orientation. Can y’all say the same?
DuttyBarb
DADT is dumb…i hope Dan Choi gets back in someday
unclemike
@Jesus: Not sure if I’ve ever had an opportunity to say this before: Fuck you, Jesus!
Joanaroo
Thank you Uncle Mike! I read # 4 then was going to say that till I scrolled down on the mobile web and saw you beat me to it! They lost a good soldier and all because of hatred and ignorance.
Fitz
I think DADT is disgusting, and stupid, and expensive.. but I must say: if you are a military officer, aren’t you used to telling people to follow orders without questioning the logic of them? Didn’t he know the rules, regardless of how stupid they are before going on Rachel’s show? How could he continue to serve, expecting people to follow his orders without equivocation when he can not do the same? I have big fights to fight, but I am not feeling compelled here.
epluribusunumjk
@Jesus: Wow…you sound real mature. I can’t honestly believe that you would tell any soldier representing this country to “go and fuck themselves.”
Why don’t you do us all a favor and move to North Korea or Iran Jesus? Lemme know how they treat gays over there…
tikihead
Cue SM….
Jake the libertarian
@ JESUS
From a vet, and not a linguist btw… But someone who has spent extended periods in combat, go fuck yourself you fucking coward. I have been shot at and missed and shit at and hit, and every one of my enemies was a better man than you.
edgyguy1426
@DuttyBarb: Though we don’t agree on the marriage issue, we can agree on some things. Thanks