<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr">Question to ponder: Of the 58,279 names on the Vietnam Memorial Wall. how many belong to gay soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines?<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">Courtesy of the <i>Stars and Stripes</i> (Army newspaper) at:<div><br></div><div><a href="https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2021-07-23/lgbt-air-force-undersecretary-assistant-secretary-of-defense-confirmations-2264389.html?utm_source=Stars+and+Stripes+Emails&utm_campaign=Daily+Headlines&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Stars+and+Stripes+Emails&utm_campaign=2808366f9e-Newsletter+-+Daily+Headlines&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0ab8697a7f-2808366f9e-296485783">https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2021-07-23/lgbt-air-force-undersecretary-assistant-secretary-of-defense-confirmations-2264389.html?utm_source=Stars+and+Stripes+Emails&utm_campaign=Daily+Headlines&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Stars+and+Stripes+Emails&utm_campaign=2808366f9e-Newsletter+-+Daily+Headlines&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0ab8697a7f-2808366f9e-296485783</a></div><div><br></div><div>————————————————-</div><div><h1 id="article-headline" itemprop="name" class="default-font b f3 f2-m f1-l fs-normal lh-title headline-font-color mt3 mb0" style="--tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(147, 197, 253, 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; font-size: 2.25rem; margin: 1rem 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.25; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: ff-meta-serif-web-pro; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Senate unanimously confirms two LGBTQ women to top military positions</h1></div><div><br></div><div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">NEW YORK (Tribune News Service) — The U.S. Senate has unanimously confirmed two LGBTQ women to top military positions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 1.25rem; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(147, 197, 253, 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 2rem 5rem; margin-block: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“President Biden nominated two historic #LGBTQ+ nominees for key roles” at the Department of Defense,” White House Senior Adviser on LGBTQ+ Engagement Reggie Greer wrote on Twitter.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 1.25rem; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(147, 197, 253, 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 2rem 5rem; margin-block: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">On Thursday, Gina Ortiz Jones was confirmed to be the next undersecretary of the Air Force — the first out lesbian to serve in the position. Her vote came exactly one month after the Senate Armed Services Committee advanced her nomination.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">She follows in the footsteps of Eric Fanning, who became the first out LGBTQ person to serve as undersecretary of a military branch when he was confirmed as undersecretary of the Air Force in 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 1.25rem; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(147, 197, 253, 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 2rem 5rem; margin-block: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Three years later he became the first openly gay leader of any U.S. military, when he was confirmed as Secretary of the Army.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 1.25rem; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(147, 197, 253, 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 2rem 5rem; margin-block: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Shawn Skelly, a retired Navy commander, was confirmed as assistant secretary of defense for readiness.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">She became the second openly transgender person to be confirmed as a federal official — after the groundbreaking confirmation of Dr. Rachel Levine as assistant secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services in March.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 1.25rem; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(147, 197, 253, 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 2rem 5rem; margin-block: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The 20-year Navy veteran is a co-founder of Out in National Security, a group of national security professionals that advocates for LGBTQ national security professionals with activism and education.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 1.25rem; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(147, 197, 253, 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 2rem 5rem; margin-block: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With Thursday’s vote she became the highest-ranking openly trans official at the Department of Defense.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Former mayor of Houston Annise Parker, now the president and CEO of LGBTQ Victory Institute, celebrated the historic confirmations noting the drastic improvements in the careers of military leaders in the U.S.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 1.25rem; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(147, 197, 253, 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 2rem 5rem; margin-block: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Gina and Shawn served their country when living openly could result in discharge and a lost career, so their ascension to key leadership positions is a powerful moment for those service members who served or continue to serve in silence,” Parker told The New York Daily News in a statement.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 1.25rem; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-inset: var(--tw-empty, ); --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(147, 197, 253, 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 2rem 5rem; margin-block: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“Their confirmation will transform perceptions of LGBTQ people within the ranks of the U.S. military, but also among the leaders of militaries we work with around the world. While they were confirmed because of their unquestionable qualifications and experience, they symbolize our continued progress and will further disrupt any lingering notion that LGBTQ people are somehow unfit to serve,” she added.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">——————————</p></div><div><br></div><div>Photo . . ,</div><div><br></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); background-color: whitesmoke;">Democratic congressional candidate Gina Ortiz Jones talks with the media outside of her campaign headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, in San Antonio.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Photos/Stars_and_Stripes/Stars_Stripes_072421.jpg">http://www.tomandrodna.com/MoscowCares/Photos/Stars_and_Stripes/Stars_Stripes_072421.jpg</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p></div><div>————————————————<br><br><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://www.MoscowCares.net</span></div><div><br></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><br></div><div>“A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met.”</div><div>- Roy E. Stolworthy</div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>