DAN CHOI: Effective as hell and back on active duty! (DADT -- He didn't tell, he sang it)

[EFerrari]

:woohoo:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Choi

Dan Choi Back on Active Duty
By Michelle Garcia



Gay military rights advocate Lt. Dan Choi has been reportedly called back into active duty. Photographer Jeff Sheng, who recently turned his lens on active gay and lesbian service members, confirmed the news in a blog posting on Bilerico.com.

Choi was to appear at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's Creating Change conference but could not attend due to his being called to serve.

Sheng wrote on Bilerico.com that despite Choi facing an Army committee recommending he be discharged under "don't ask, don't tell," his commanding officer was highly supportive of the Arabic translator and West Point graduate.

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/02/09/Dan_Choi_Back_in_Active_Duty/

More background:

“Love Is Worth It”: Iraq War Vet Facing Discharge for Violating “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Helps Lead Massive Rally for Gay Rights



http://www.democracynow.org/2009/10/13/love_is_worth_it_iraq_war
(Audio, video transcript at link.)

DAN CHOI! Give it up for him! This is could be a real turning point. Go, Dan and thank you!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[Solly Mack]

1. !!K&R!!

[EFerrari]

5. DUer rd_kent (iirc) pointed out that once the service is integrated

that's the ball game. I think that may be exactly right. :toast:

[tridim]

2. Amazing what "just words" can do, huh?

[EFerrari]

3. And an election!

lol

:hi:

[eleny]

4. K&R!

[EFerrari]

9. When all this started, he was still in his 20s.

This is one exceptional guy. Seriously. :wow:

[Bluenorthwest]

6. the Face of Courage

Good for Lt Dan!!!!!!!!

[WeDidIt]

7. BRAVO DAN FOR YOUR COURAGE!!

And Bravo Barack, for listening and then doing.

[dmr]

8. Awesome! I'm very happy for him. Didn't he stop & talk to Sen. Levin

last week after the hearing with the top brass?
:bounce:

[EFerrari]

10. I didn't see that. Where was it?

:)

[dmr]

16. Saw it on TV right after the hearing. Sen. Levin had just stood up to leave

and I believe it was Choi who approached and spoke to him briefly. Sen. Levin acknowledged him, but don't know what was said.

[EFerrari]

17. So, it was CSPAN?

Maybe someone could dig up the link for us.

:hi:

[AzDar]

11. Yay!

:thumbsup:

[Libertas1776]

12. Bravo, soldier.

:patriot:

[myrna minx]

13. Hooray. K&R n/t

:applause: ;woohoo:

[foxfeet]

14. Good on him!

And on all our GLBT military personnel!

[EFerrari]

15. Kick

[ChicagoSuz219]

18. YAY!!

I love this guy!

[leftstreet]

19. K&R

!!

[donheld]

20. He's so adorable!

[EFerrari]

26. He really is.

lol

[Renew Deal]

21. I'm very happy to hear this.

:bounce:

[onestepforward]

22. Great news!

Great for the Army too... a big gain of brains, talent and skill!

[WorseBeforeBetter]

23. K&R

[asdjrocky]

24. Look, I'm so glad he's back doing what he loves.

I have great respect for Dan Choi, both for his service and for his willingness to speak out and speak up.

I got in big trouble for calling it token earlier and I want to make it clear that he is not a token. He has earned everything he has and I feel no animosity for him. I will say one more time I both admire and respect Dan Choi.

But what about all the other non-famous people who have had their dream taken away and continue to have their dream taken away? It feels like a token gesture to take our minds off the real issue of another year of studies, more delays, and more lives ruined.

It feels like a distraction.

I'm all for a Peoples movement on this. I'm all for Officers doing the right thing, but I can't help thinking about the others left out. Left behind. Forgotten. DADT should end now. Or at least stop kicking people out of the service until it is ended.

That's all I'm saying.

K&R for Dan!

[EFerrari]

25. And you may have a point. But, remember, this kid was in his 20s

when all this started and he was not famous. We only know his name because he stood up for himself and for his brothers and sisters. So he deserves ALL the credit we can heap on him.

And now there is this precedent.

It may be a token but a token of goodwill, not a sop to buy us off.

Let's see how we do, asdjrocky. :hi:

[FreeState]

27. Stories been updated - its drill duty NOT active duty

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/02/09/Dan_Choi_Back_in_Active_Duty/

Story Updated : February 09, 2010 11:19:00 AM
Dan Choi Back on Drill Duty
By Michelle Garcia


Gay military rights advocate Lt. Dan Choi has been called back into drill duty, he told The Advocate in a phone interview Tuesday. Photographer Jeff Sheng, who recently turned his lens on active gay and lesbian service members for a book about "don't ask, don't tell," originally reported the news on Bilerico.com.

[EFerrari]

28. So, it's a halfway measure?

What do you think? On one hand, this keeps him off the streets and off camera but on the other hand, they can't very well turn around and discharge him now. Hmmm

[FreeState]

29. No - he has never been kicked out - hes just showing up for drills - nothings changed

http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/pennsylvania/20100209_ap_gaymilitaryadvocatereportsfordrillduty.html

He showed up on his own - he has not been kicked out (yet).

Gay military advocate reports for drill duty

The Associated Press

NEW YORK - Lt. Dan Choi says he took time off from his busy schedule of gay rights work for infantry training with the Army National Guard.

In a phone interview Tuesday, Choi said he was scheduled to appear at a National Gay and Lesbian Task Force conference over the weekend, but decided to report for training with his Guard unit instead]. He said the training at Fort Indiantown Gap near Harrisburg, Pa., was "therapeutic" and his fellow soldiers welcomed him.

A National Guard committee recommended in June that Choi be discharged under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. He remains in the Guard while awaiting a final decision.

The Iraq veteran and West Point graduate says his commander has been very supportive and urged him to return to monthly drills.

[EFerrari]

32. Wow. Look how snarky that article is.

I don't think it's accurate to say nothing has changed. He was called back to drill. It's not as much as hoped, though, apparently.

[FreeState]

33. He was not called back to drill - he showed up

"And Dan Choi himself writes: "I was never fully discharged and have been substituting drills because of my schedule of lobbying and pushing for repeal. I attended national guard duty this past weekend beacuse we needed to train on critical skills for a possible upcoming deployment. My discharge is still pending, but I have returned to work...""

http://www.towleroad.com/2010/02/clarification-on-lt-dan-chois-return-to-service-with-national-guard.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+towleroad%2Ffeed+%28Towleroad+Daily++%23gay+news%29

[EFerrari]

34. Oh, lord Now I'm really confused. Thanks for trying to straighten this out, FS.

[nadinbrzezinski]

30. Bravo LT... just watch your back... serious

[AllentownJake]

31. The Generals have determined the policy is over before Congress

I'm pretty sure Military leadership wants this over sooner rather than later.