World

18-year combat veteran is latest fire under DADT

by Rhonda J Mangus | May 21, 2009 at 11:21 pm

278 views | 62 Recommendations | 4 comments

The latest fire under US "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy is Lieutenant Colonel Victor Fehrenbach, an 18-year combat veteran two years away from retirement. Fehrenbach recently appeared on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show to share his discharge story.

Fehrenbach served in Afghanistan and Iraq. He flew the longest combat sorties in his squadron history, destroying Taliban and Al Qaeda targets in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. And after the Sept. 11 attacks, he was hand-picked to protect the airspace over Washington, D.C.

Fehrenbach originally put off appealing his discharge in the hopes President Obama and Congress would overturn DADT. But because Congress and the Administration have not acted with any urgency, he is now challenging his discharge, fighting to serve his country and keep his retirement.

Every day, the military loses more and more patriots like Lt. Col. Fehrenbach because of DADT. And the longer Congress delays repealing the law, the more our brave service members will suffer under this ban.

1 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | Digg | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

tikun

at 03:56 on May 22nd, 2009

This is such a silly policy and so useless. All the soldiers working together know the sexual preferences of the men and women they are relying on to watch their backs.

jazzyzazzy

at 05:31 on May 22nd, 2009

The men who go to war, The gorverments worldwide never seem to give the ones who get back from the war zone,their basic rights and needs,in many cases.

amyjudd

at 07:51 on May 22nd, 2009

For all he has done for his country, he should not have to endure any more - this is terrible.

Art de Rivers

at 16:47 on May 22nd, 2009

What a policy ....Someone's livelihood gets booted into the void - with no case proved at all of any real disruption to others .... Its a gross distortion of natural justice and good sense ..