The National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Veterans Memorial Project is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to raising funds to construct an LGBT Veterans Memorial in our nation’s capital.
According to the organization, the funds raised in support of this project will be used to build a memorial at the historic Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. This memorial will be a visible and lasting testament to the contribution lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender service members have made to the security of the United States.
In August, the organization published the final design for its three-panel concept and is now actively seeking funds to build the memorial.
Chair of the project is retired Army Lt. Col. Nancy A. Russell. After retiring from the Army and moving to San Antonio, Texas, Russell became an activist in the LGBT community. Through the years she has marched on Washington, in the 25th Anniversary Stonewall Parade in New York City and lobbied Congress for the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell including testifying in 1994 before a House Armed Services Subcommittee against the policy.
In honor of LGBT History Month and our LGBT veterans San Diego LGBT Weekly reached out to Russell to understand the history behind the project and the timeline going forward.
San Diego LGBT Weekly: First, can you tell me how this project began and what has brought it to center stage now?
Nancy A. Russell: The project began about 15 years ago when a member of the Congressional Cemetery board of directors, Patrick Crowley, approached me and asked if I had ever thought of placing a memorial in the Cemetery honoring LGBT veterans. That started the ball rolling. We got the approval of the Cemetery board to start the planning process. We found that the Cemetery had several issues of its own to resolve before we could actually start the work. Finally in 2011 everything came together and the board of directors of the National LGBT Veterans’ Memorial was given the go ahead. The issues were: 1. obtaining ownership of a road that belonged to the DC jail, 2. flooding problems in the lower part of the cemetery, and their efforts to develop a landscape plan.
What are the components of the memorial project?
I assume you mean the monument itself. There are a total of 24 burial plots 3’ x 8’ that must be purchased on which to build the memorial. That gives us an area of 24’ x 24’. There is the opportunity for vets or family/friends of vets to buy brick/paver to be placed on the memorial grounds, and possibly a columbarium for ashes.
Where will the memorial be located within the Congressional Cemetery and what is the significance of this location?
It will be built near the gay corner which derives its significance from the grave of Leonard Matlovich whose headstone reads, “They gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one”.
How will memorialization work within the project?
Individual memorialization will take place by individuals buying a brick/paver with the service member or veteran’s name, rank, service and dates engraved on it. The bricks will be placed on the memorial grounds
Who will decide whose names will be included on the memorial once it is built and how will that work?
Anyone memorialized there would have to show a DD Form 214 as proof of service to be memorialized. The details of how this will work are still under consideration. It being a veterans’ memorial we believe anyone memorialized there should be a veteran.
What about veterans that were discharged during the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy – how will this memorial impact them and how should their survivors engage?
First, let me say that the vet does not have to be deceased to have a brick memorializing his/her service. To allow those with a less than honorable or general discharge (given solely for the reason of homosexuality) to be memorialized there would be a desirable way to handle it but that is not as clear cut as it seems. If there was other misconduct leading to the less than honorable/general discharge, we are not qualified to render a judgment on that. There is great hope that Congress will pass the Restore Honor to Service Members Act which would alleviate the problem. I will be surprised if the military does not require a board review of the veteran’s record to ensure that is the only reason for their less than honorable discharge. I might mention that many enlisted personnel have more than one discharge and in that case they likely have a DD Form 214 that designates honorable service.
How much money do you need to raise?
$300,000 for just the monument. The total cost is expected to be in excess of $500,000. That will cover the cost of the burial plots which currently sell for $6,500 each, landscaping of the total memorial garden, benches, placement of memorial pavers and possibly a columbaria for ashes. If every LGBT veteran donated just one dollar we would have enough funds to build it.
Have there been any leadership gifts?
We have just begun the fund raising effort. We will be approaching gay friendly corporations, LGBT organizations, Veteran organizations, as well as individual donors.
You now have the design concept of the memorial. What further processes does the organization have to complete before this project is realized?
The main thing is to raise the money needed to make the memorial a reality. We need everyone who likes what we are doing and thinks the memorial should be built, to like us on their Facebook page and ask all their friends to like us as well. We need to spread the word of the memorial all across the country so that everyone who cares has a chance to be a part of building this memorial.
Realistically, when do you think the memorial will be unveiled?
That is totally dependent on the fundraising. We would like for it to be ready for dedication on Memorial Day 2015.
What would you say to individuals and organizations to encourage them to contribute to this campaign?
This memorial is to honor over one million LGBT veterans who have served their country with pride and distinction since the Revolutionary War and millions more who serve now and in the future. It will serve as a visible testament of their service and will mark an historic period in our nation’s history as we move toward a more perfect union and to realizing the promise of the pledge of allegiance “freedom and justice for all”.
If you like the memorial and want to see it built join us in this effort. Visit our webpage at nlgbtvm.org to donate by PayPal or our Facebook page at National LGBT Veterans Memorial. Don’t forget to like us and ask your friends to like us so we can reach every LGBT veteran in the United States and wherever else they may reside.
For more information and to donate to the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Veteran’s Memorial Project visit nlgbtvm.org
