Veterans Day: Thank You Lt. Tracy Thorne-Begland

Navy Lieutenant Tracy Thorne-Begland served from 1988 through 1992, when he appeared on Nightline to discuss the anti-gay military policy that predates Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT). Lt. Throne-Begland was fired in 1992 for being gay under that policy. After being reinstated by order of the Supreme Court, he was fired again for being gay under DADT in 1995.

In May 1993, Lt. Thorne-Begland testified at Sen. Sam Nunn’s “dog-and-pony show”, and was jeered by the heavily anti-gay audience (as intended) and attacked by Sen. Strom Thurmond, who told him to seek medical and psychiatric help.

Lt. Thorne-Begland, thank you for serving your country.