By Shaun Knittel
Online News Editor

As June 2012 came to a close, Pride was on the minds of many openly gay and lesbian service members. Less than one year after the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” the Pentagon held a Pride event in honor of its LGB uniformed members. The word “historic” comes to mind. Also, less than one year after DADTs repeal, news legislation was introduced last week that seeks equal spouse benefits for gays in the military. Here’s a look at those stories and more in this week’s OutServe Blog news roll-up.

GAY COUPLE HOLDS FIRST CIVIL UNION CEREMONY ON MILITARY BASE

A gay service member in the Air Force and his partner entered a civil union at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Wrightstown, New Jersey, June 23. The civil union of Tech. Sgt. Erwynn Umali and Will Behrens is considered the first official same-sex ceremony held on a military base since repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” according to the Associated Press. Kay Reeb, a Navy chaplain with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America who also serves at the base, presided over the ceremony. She said she was delighted to participate in her first civil union. Also in attendance with friends, family and service members, was former Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, who lobbied Congress to repeal DADT.  Read More.

NAVY OFFICIAL REASSIGNED AFTER HE FAILS TO DEAL WITH GAY HAZING

On June 25, a military report said Master Chief Machinist’s Mate Charles Berry, Chief of the Boat aboard the U.S. Navy nuclear submarine U.S.S Florida, was removed from his post because he failed to take action against gay hazing. According to the report, Berry did nothing to stop the harassment of a sailor victimized by hazing after he reported an attempted rape. The sailor reported that a man held him at knifepoint at the port of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Other sailors aboard the U.S.S. Florida discovered the incident and hounded the sailor, viciously hurling gay slurs and jokes at him. The victim was referred to as “Brokeback,” a reference to the gay-themed move Brokeback Mountain, called a derogatory term for a gay person and someone posted a drawing of a stick figure being sexually assaulted. Although Navy officials say Berry did not directly take part in anti-gay hazing, they removed him from his post because he ignored the issue, even when brought to his attention, by allowing the behavior to continue unchecked.    

PENTAGON HOLDS GAY PRIDE EVENT

On June 26,  following President Obama’s and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta’s Pride month messages, the Defense Department held its first-ever Pride month event to a standing room crowd in the Pentagon auditorium. The event was hailed as a celebration of diversity within the ranks, where gays and lesbians can now serve openly since the September 20, 2011 implementation of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal. General Counsel Jeh Johnson, one of the co-leads of the Comprehensive Working Group that wrote the report concluding that DADT repeal would have no negative impact on military readiness, delivered the keynote address. Also on the Pride event panel at the pentagon, Gordon Tanner, principle deputy counsel of the Air Force, Marine Corps Capt. Matthew Phelps from the recruit training regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, and OutServe communication director and 1980 West Point graduate, Sue Fulton. Absent from the event were the four service chiefs and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Read More.

OUTSERVE COLORADO RESPONDS AS WILDFIRE SPREADS, THREATENS USAFA

On June 25, firefighters fought to extinguish a wildfire burning out of control at the edge of Colorado Springs, Colorado. As the fire doubled in size and forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes, it also threatened to engulf the U.S. Air Force Academy, prompting OutServe Colorado chapter members to spring into action and lend a hand to those in need. According to Andy Belvins, a member of the Colorado chapter, a majority of their membership live in Colorado Springs. OutServe members came together to help with the evacuation efforts and “offered a place for OutServe members to sleep and a hot meal,” which, he says, “brought to the forefront a sense of camaraderie and unity that OutServe leadership has sought to provide for LGB members in the military.” On July 1, residents began returning home to charred areas after the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history left the landscape a blackened wasteland. The fire killed two people, scorched 17,659 acres, burned 346 homes and devastated communities. The USAFA was not damaged in the blaze. President Obama has pledged federal aid to Governor John Hickenlooper so Colorado residents can begin to rebuild and recover. Fire officials report the worst is over and almost all of the seven blazes are under control. Read More.

BILL INTRODUCED FOR EQUAL SPOUSE BENEFITS FOR GAYS IN THE MILITARY

On June 28, Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, introduced a bill that would provide military benefits to the same-sex spouses and children of gay and lesbian members of the armed services. In short, the bill would require the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments to recognize the legal marriages of gay service members. The Military Spouses Equal Treatment Act of 2012 would change the definition of “spouse” in four sections of the U.S. Code. Read More.