DADT Repeal Activist Lt. Dan Choi Recalled To Active Duty [CORRECTION]

CORRECTION: Seems I got a bit ahead of the field here. Allow Richard Allen Smith, over at VetVoice, to explain:

Reports began circulating earlier today that 1LT Dan Choi, the founder of Knights Out, West Point Graduate, Infantry platoon leader, Iraq War Veteran and Arabic linguist who had been processed for discharge under "don't ask, don't tell", had been "ordered back to active duty". The reports were based on this post, which never stated Choi was ordered back to "active duty", and were greatly exaggerated by well-meaning individuals without an understanding of the minutia involved in military personnel issues.

1LT Choi has NOT been ordered back to active duty. It would be difficult to order him "back" to active duty, being that he serves in the New York National Guard, not on active duty, unless he had been mobilized. What has happened is that, with the support of his command, 1LT Choi drilled with his National Guard unit this past weekend for training on critical infantry tasks with his Soldiers.

Richard's got more, here, so check it out. Much thanks to Brandon Friedman for setting me straight on this. Looks like only a half-step, in the right direction.

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In a sign that momentum behind a repeal of the military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy is having an impact, openly gay U.S. Army National Guard Lieutenant Dan Choi has been recalled to active duty.

Choi, a West Point graduate and trained Arabic linguist, was dismissed from duty in the spring of 2009, because of "Don't Ask Don't Tell." Since then, he's been a leading voice for the cessation of the policy. The Advocate has more:

Gay military rights advocate Lt. Dan Choi has been reportedly called back into active duty. Photographer Jeff Sheng, who recently turned his lens on active gay and lesbian service members, confirmed the news in a blog posting on Bilerico.com.

Over at Bilerico, blogger Jeff Sheng has a photo of Choi, back in training and looking glad to be there. He reports that Choi's return to active duty prevented him from leading a workshop at this past weekend's NGLTF Creating Change conference.

Spencer Ackerman, who has been following this story for The Washington Independent, offers this in the way of analysis: "That's a strong sign that even ahead of a full repeal of the so-called gay ban, proceeding at a deliberate, year-long pace advocated by the Pentagon's top leadership, relaxed enforcement of the policy is already in place."

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Comments

[klandish]

09:51 PM on 02/10/2010

For a Man to say " I care and like women, love them but am not sexually attracted to them" is a huge thing. Not because that's the truth but because of how that statement is interpreted is a problem for Gay Men. Empathetic people need to realize what is happening in regards to this.

[DixieChic]

08:03 AM on 02/10/2010

It seems to me that if Obama were really serious about ending this antiquated policy, then as commander-in-chief, he would at least order that its enforcement be suspended indefinitely until Congress acts to repeal it.

[SPQR1052]

01:18 PM on 02/10/2010

Point of correction:

It's not a "policy" per se it a LAW.

Example segergation was a policy in the military during both my father and grandfathers time. It was not a LAW enacted by congress and signed by the president thus allowing it to be ended with an "executive order."

DADT must be repealled via congress. Which I support 100%

What I do not support is the meme that this LT is a hero. I am LGBT and a DAV and assure you he is not one of mine.

[LostRiverLedger]

07:02 AM on 02/10/2010

Now Pat Robertson will tell us that this is the reason for the most recent earthquake in Illinois......because as we all know Gay+Obama+Illinois = Armageddon, I mean earthquake .........

[barrycourage]

03:42 AM on 02/10/2010

To me, a National Guard reservist participating in regularly scheduled training with his unit after being discharged under DADT is de facto reinstatement. Did his superiors forbid him from participation? No, they approved of it. "Active duty" might be synonymous with deployment of a reserve unit, but the point is Choi acted in his official capacity with the imprimatur of his superiors.

If you rehearsed for months with the cast of a Broadway show and the show closed before it opened, you still were a member of the cast.

[SGTHogg]

08:07 AM on 02/10/2010

He was never discharged, only the proceedings were started. This means he is just taking part in what he is supposed to and it is not news. The NEWS part of it is that he is continuing to serve and the Army National Guard has not disintegrated under the weight of an openly gay soldier.

[Payam Ghassemlou]

01:31 AM on 02/10/2010

Thank you Lt. Choi for your hard work on DADT issue. Living one's life outside the closet is a heroic act, considering the violence against gay people, but it should not be considered the completion of the coming out journey. Coming out is also an internal journey that has to do with self-acceptance. It leaves one liberated rather than assimilated.

[klandish]

10:03 PM on 02/10/2010

Beautiful statement, "leaving one liberated rather than assimilated". Thank you.

[retiredvetdidmine]

12:59 AM on 02/10/2010

Thank you, Lt. Choi, for your Service and for your Brave stance before the knuckleheaded DADT.

[SouthSideHooligan]

12:49 AM on 02/10/2010

Sir:

The Army needs good officers. Good officers lead from the front. Sounds like you're a good officer. Remember that enlisted men look to you as the decision-maker. You appear to have guts and common sense, which makes for a great US Army officer.

Oh, and I noticed you have a 10th Mountain combat patch. Welcome back to the ranks.

[bluntobject]

12:27 AM on 02/10/2010

This is wonderful news. Perhaps the right wing bible thumpers in the military need to understand that thimngs are changing, for the better. No longer will bigotry be allowed to dictate policy toward gays and lesbians.

It's a beautiful thing.

[Matt Osborne]

12:17 AM on 02/10/2010

It's no half-step. The good Lieutenant is back to wearing rank and earning good performance evaluations. The reality is that no one ever just jumps right back to active duty, but Choi can certainly attempt to do that at any time, and having a recent record is more important to the Army than making a symbolic gesture. The first priority is not bringing him back to active duty, but getting him back in uniform -- and I've no doubt he can make it if he wants to try.

I was only ever a MI geek, but I'd gladly share this man's foxhole and follow him into fire. He's got more integrity than 9 out of 10 officers I've served under.

[SGTHogg]

08:12 AM on 02/10/2010

He was never discharged so the news here is not that he is "back" (he was already in the National Guard and not attempting to go active duty), but that the military isn't crumbling while this openly gay man continues to serve in his NG unit. I am guessing you were MI in active duty? The NG is a different beast all together (I was in 5 years).

[Matt Osborne]

10:00 AM on 02/10/2010

Perhaps "back" isn't the right word. I was in the NG for a while after active duty, though I worked the opposite end of the radio spectrum battle there.

[JapanDan]

12:10 AM on 02/10/2010

Well, GOOD ON HIM!!
And by the way..........
WHO DADT??
WHO DADT??

[retiredvetdidmine]

12:55 AM on 02/10/2010

Fanned!!

[peacepunkin]

01:41 AM on 02/10/2010

Best post on this thread! Thanks, I can always use a laugh :)

[lightist]

11:58 PM on 02/09/2010

Dan Choi - May you serve well, return safe and sound, and continue to do the good work you are doing here so nobly. You are a true evolutionary agent. We need you. Goodspeed.

[StupidPeopleSuck]

11:50 PM on 02/09/2010

This guy is so brave. He is an American hero.

[LooktotheLeft]

12:16 AM on 02/10/2010

in this day and age of the title "hero" all too often applied inappropriately or frivolously, I think in Lt. Choi's case it would most aptly apply indeed.

[Art Dodger]

12:48 AM on 02/10/2010

I agree with you, he is a hero. I hate to look on the dark side, but I hope he won't be harassed once he is back in active service, and I also hope he was not called back as a political stroke to "keep him quiet"

[SouthSideHooligan]

01:23 AM on 02/10/2010

knock it off. you're a purveyor of stereotyping that 1LT Choi is fighting: you assume things about the army that aren't true. i want an apology.

[SGTHogg]

08:16 AM on 02/10/2010

He is simply continuing to serve in the National Guard, not being called to active duty.

The reality is that he is simply continuing his NG service and the military isn't crumbling while yet another openly gay person serves while his paperwork is pushed.

The only thing that is active duty is DADT- even in the NG you serve under it 365 days a year.

[llfutrell]

11:29 PM on 02/09/2010

First I want to say I'm all for DADT being repealed and I am also VERY, VERY pro-choice.....but I am wondering something......If you are born gay (which I think most of us know you are) and there is a determined gay gene than can be identified during pregnancy, who is going to speak up for all of the unborn that may be terminated for just being "flagged" as having a gay gene? Like I said I am pro-choice but the thought of terminating a pregnancy over something as futile as that is a bit heartbreaking. But we know it will come to that eventually.

[Darcy24]

11:40 PM on 02/09/2010

What makes you think that people would abort gay babies? Most people would be happy to have a healthy baby of any kind. The only people I can think of that would abort babies because they were gay are conservative Republicans. They'd probably abort babies would would grow up to be left wing Democrats, too, if they could.

Good thing parents don't get to choose the way their kids turn out. Not every kid is a clone of its parents, as we all know. Look at Megan McCain.

[llfutrell]

03:11 PM on 02/10/2010

You mean "certain" conservative republicans. I concider myself a republican but I am VERY pro-choice (however, I am against late term).
Anyway, there are a lot of repubs that are pro-choice. There are also some Dmes that are pro-life. Most voters aren't a one issue voter so you can have a mixed view of feelings on the topic from either party.
I think to assume it would only be repubs getting an abortion is a huge assumption. My BFF is a Dem. BUT we had this discussion and she said she would abort because she said it''s tough growing up anyway and growing up gay is even harder. She said it would be cruel to bring a child into the world knowing the hardships they would have to go through.

[Patroclus]

12:07 AM on 02/10/2010

There was a movie on exactly this subject a couple of years ago, but the title escapes me.

[1logicalthinker]

01:09 AM on 02/10/2010

Was it Armagaydon? :)

[brahdog]

01:34 AM on 02/10/2010

twilight of the golds

[winningticket]

11:25 PM on 02/09/2010

I want to live in a country where Dan Choi can be free to be what he wants to be. However, I have a lot trouble with the US being involved in futile wars like Iraq and Afghanistan.

[SouthSideHooligan]

12:55 AM on 02/10/2010

1LT Choi has more brains and guts than you. That's why he's a US Army officer. Some of us servicemen and women (myself being one) disagreed with the invasion of Iraq. We carried out our orders anyway... because we swore an oath to uphold the US Constitution with our sacred honor. 1LT Choi sounds like he's doing that. He's fighting for what he believes is right. For that, he has my respect and my salute. No joke.

[Vere15]

11:10 PM on 02/09/2010

I am not gay - but like Dan Choi, I am the son of a Baptist minister (grandson, great grandson as well) and a Christian. So please allow me to identify with the pilgrimage of a brother in Christ and please appreciate that he went through that battlefield of struggles and came out a "winner" there as well.