Wounded Marine Testifies Against DADT
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Marine who was the first American wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom testified against the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell saying that his sexual orientation was not a problem within in his unit.
Marine Staff Sgt. Eric F. Alva lost his right leg to a landmine only hours into the invasion of Iraq, for which he received a Purple Heart. It was only years after he nearly died in battle, receiving a Purple Heart for courage, that he realized he needed to speak out against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the ban on gays serving openly in the military.
On Wednesday, Alva told a House subcommittee “I realized that I had fought and nearly died to secure rights for others that I myself was not free to enjoy. I had proudly served a country that was not proud of me. More importantly, my experience disproved all the arguments against open service by gays and lesbians…”
Alva said that he received the Purple Heart, along with visits from the President and First Lady. “I was told I was a hero,” he recalled.
“That landmine may have put an end to my military career that day, but it didn’t put an end to my secret. That would come years later, when I realized that I had fought and nearly died to secure rights for others that I myself was not free to enjoy…” he told the committee.
The congressional hearing was the first on the impact of DADT since it was enacted in 1993. The chair of the subcommittee, Susan Davis (D), has introduced legislation to repeal the ban on gays and lesbians serving in the military. It is not likely the measure will come up for a vote before the current session ends.