Thank you for your service to this nation

The 19th of June will be a first for many serving in our armed forces on Alaska soil. The Arctic Warrior Event Center of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson will host a Pride even for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community currently serving in uniform at 1 p.m. The LGBT Pride Month announcement on the base’s Facebook page was filled with more than 100 responses in less than 24 hours. I checked them out myself, most were very — colorful to say the least.

I’m a retired soldier, one that has seen a thing or two in my more than 21 years of service to this country. I am 100 percent for this event in celebrating equality for all those serving in uniform.

It’s about time we honor those in the LGBT communities of Alaska and in government service officially. Especially when you consider the military’s abysmal history of dealing with gay GI’s. This event is a positive step forward.

While not everyone shares my opinion, thankfully times and attitudes have changed toward the military’s LGBT community. Judging from the comments on JBER’s Facebook page and KTUU’s news story, there is still work to do combating prejudice and the outright hatred of people whose only “crime” is loving another person of the same sex. This is about people in uniform, who are are fighting and dying in some pretty nasty places for the American way of life here in the good old USA. And who just happen to be gay.

Up until recently it was a crime under military law to be gay in uniform. Even during the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” era, those caught faced court martial, dishonorable discharge and complete forfeiture of all benefits. Many lost everything, many longtime careers of military service ended in disgrace. I know of more than a few who suffered during this chapter in our nation’s history. Thankfully, this mistaken policy is a thing of the past.

Hence this celebration coming up on June 19 is a great way to heal some of those old wounds. A great way to be proud of who you are and the country you serve without fear of reprisal for being LGBT. The mission is to serve this nation as equals, as fellow brothers and sisters in arms, with pride. And they do so with honor.

Our GI’s are the best examples of what it means to be Americans — all of them no matter who they are. JBER is leading by example, backed by the Pentagon, Congress and the White House. It is a good thing to know that we are part of the modern world of the 21st Century, not stuck in the 15th Century.

LGBT Pride Month events like the one on post will go a long way in dispelling prejudice against our LGBT service men and women. All they want to do is serve, which is not a crime — it is an honor. I for one, a fellow GI thank them for their service to this nation.

Wasilla resident Daniel D. Grota retired from the U.S. Army after more than 21 years of service.