Veteran of the Year was deported from the country he served

SACRAMENTO, Calif.  – California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) announced today she is honoring deported U.S. Army veteran Hector Barajas Varela of Tijuana as Assembly District 80’s Veteran of the Year. Barajas, who could not attend the annual ceremony at the State Capitol because of his deportation, is the Director and Founder of…

Read More

Historic confirmation as Eric Fanning becomes first openly-gay secretary of the U.S. Army

The Senate has confirmed Eric Fanning to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Army. Fanning is the first openly-gay leader of a U.S. military service, and is now the highest-ranking, Senate-confirmed openly-LGBT appointed official. Fanning was nominated by President Barack Obama in September, and the nomination was reported by the Senate Armed Services Committee in…

Read More

SPARTA: Secretary of Defense’s omission of trans military service in Pride speech a ‘slap in the face’

WASHINGTON– SPARTA, the association of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people who currently serve or have served in the U.S. armed forces and their families has called Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter’s failure to mention transgender military service in yesterday’s speech at the Pentagon’s event to commemorate LGBT Pride Month a “slap in the face”….

Read More

Army takes groundbreaking steps to protect transgender troops

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Army announced today it is elevating authority to discharge transgender service members to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), the highest level at which that authority has ever been reserved. Prior to today’s announcement, local unit commanders were authorized to approve transgender soldiers’ separation orders. This…

Read More