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• It is a daily struggle to serve an organization that does not accept me for whom I am and would fire me in an instant if they found out....even though my job performance is outstanding

• The Marine Corps Preaches core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment and other values in which society expects out of a US Marine. At the same time they the DADT policy basically makes you lie to your colleagues and workers eventually living a lie. You are two people, a Marine that obeys all rules and regulations then at the same time you have your sex life during your time off where you are always looking out for others whom may tell on you. One has to be mentally strong to separate the two and ensure that all facets of someone’s life match up to what is said and told to others. Marines always talk about family and friends at work, the Marines that are Homosexuals either have to lie or just stay out of the conversation and when questions are asked people you can’t answer???? How is that fair? So eventually if you don't answer questions you isolate yourself and become estranged anyway so it’s a no win situation.
• Made to lie, this is against what we stand up for in this country. 
• I was threatened by attempted blackmail.  I thought I was going to lose my job.  Fortunately, the blackmailer decided not to go through with the blackmail and I was able to finish my military service and retire after 23 years of lying about my sexuality.
• I live a double life. My partner is never able to see me off for deployments like traditional spouses are. We are denied the dignity of being ourselves while outside the house, all for the sake of my service.
• I was an officer in the US Army and I was forced to live in constant fear of be "outed".
• I was getting ready to go to Iraq and was taking medication and wanted to know if I could continue to take it since they were telling us we would be in gas masks almost all of the time. They went through my medical records and discovered I was gay. They discharged me and said it was medical, but there was no reason for that. I talked to my doctor and he told me not to fight it because they knew I was gay.
• My boyfriend was a Lt. Commander...I was an E-3. We were called into NIS like a witch hunt.
• A female marine who didn't like me found out I was gay and told the command, to distract them from her negligent conduct. I was removed from my platoon (while deployed in Ar Ramadi, Iraq) and sent to our Headquarters in Al Asad while a Captain investigated me and question my fellow marines. Pressured with threats of charges of dereliction of duty by the Sergeant Major, my friends confessed. I was sent home on advance party (nearly a month early) to begin discharge proceedings while my unit was deployed in a combat zone. They granted me a full Honorable Discharge characterization of service, but never the less four months later I was a civilian. :-(
• See LEF defending freedom exPOW story and log cabin video COURAGE UNDER FIRE. The policy was not in force in WWII and homosexuality was evident but of no consequence. But affected my attitude in civilian life       toward military service with my family and friends.
• I cannot openly serve so I live my life in fear. Fear of losing my career and fear of losing my relationship. I am forced to lie every day of my life for the opportunity to serve my country.
• The constant fear that although most of my fellow soldiers and superiors knew I was gay and had no problem with it because my service in both the first Gulf War and Panama War was exemplary, that anyone who wanted to get at me or blackmail me could get me court marshaled and thrown out was a huge burden and not fair, since it had nothing to do with my ability to do my job and the unfair policy actually opened the possibility for blackmail that otherwise would not have existed
• My girlfriend was awarded Sailor of the Year for her command and participated in the regional competition and ceremonies.  Because we are in a gay relationship, I was unable to attend the ceremonies and special events held in honor of the awardees.  This was unnecessarily hurtful to both of us.  I did manage to attend the final ceremony, pretending to be her "sister-in-law."  It was a wonderful event with such a horrible undertone, very bitter-sweet.  While this event certainly amplified the difficulty of living with DADT, the day-to-day effect has been demeaning and unnecessarily painful.  For example, because we cannot marry, I cannot register our car in both our names and receive a DOD sticker allowing us to drive our car onto the base.  This means that since we share a car, I cannot drop her off at work in front of her building; I have to drop her off 5 blocks away.  So when she brings food or gifts for her command, she has to drag it all from five blocks away.  Of course, I could get a special permit, but the extra process at that time of the day is especially inconvenient.  That is just one example. At least every week, we experience at least one challenge due to DADT.  We are left feeling like our relationship is not respected or valued the same as a hetero one and thus as individuals, we feel demoralized.  Living in fear of being caught is taking its toll on us and our relationship.  We have a sailboat that we are afraid to use because our dock neighbor is a SEAL and we are not informed of his opinion of DADT.  It is especially frustrating to me that gays are already actively serving in large numbers yet our leaders cite logistical reasons for not acknowledging them. We've learned to live with it the way that it is now; however we are especially concerned about what will happen when we have children.  We can tolerate being treated as second-class citizens but I imagine we won't be able to sit back and watch our children be treated the same.  When we do have children, they will not be able to enjoy the same benefits as a hetero couple's kids will have, even those who are unmarried.  I apologize for blurring the issue of marriage and DADT however for us it is and issue that is one in the same.  Please continue your good work.
• I have to compromise my integrity on a daily basis.  Hide my partner and pretend I'm someone else.
• Negative impact on unit cohesion by not being able to completely integrate into my unit due to the requirements of DADT.
• I was on active duty in the USAF at Minot AFB, ND in a critically staffed position as Security Forces/Protection in the missile field. I was dating a civilian, it turned bad, he and I broke up, however, he threatened to out me to the Air Force. I was confronted by my first sergeant, who advised me I needed to see legal. It was decided the best way to resolve the issue was to admit I was homosexual, sign a ridiculous statement that said I was in violation of the DOD and Military policy on homosexual activity and that I could no longer disgrace the nation, myself or my branch of service etc. It was a form letter that all admitting persons must sign. My two choices were to sign this, come out to the chain of command and receive an honorable discharge OR fight it, facing possible court martial and general or dishonorable discharge. As sad as it was to do, I did not want to have a less than honorable discharge and I signed the letter and was harassed for 3 weeks until I was finally discharged. Everyone knew why I was being "kicked out", ridiculed me for being "a fag" and I was going through a few medical issues, with kidney stones. The commander had over ruled medical personal that put me on quarters, after being hospitalized for 3 weeks. The commander said that "The fag is about out of the military, he don't need to waste tax payer's money, sitting on his queer ass". I was told I could file a complaint, BUT it could and would prolong my discharge. I would never want to go through this again and certainly would NOT have served my country if I had to be treated this way again.
• I am currently a cadet pursuing an Army ROTC contract-scholarship...and every day I have fears that the wrong individuals will be informed of my sexual orientation and I could lose everything.
• I was putting up with the mandated lying until I fell in love with the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.  I then realized I could no longer continue to lie and live a double life forced upon me by the military, so I told my command officer that I am gay.  I was discharged honorably.  However, it is a shame that because I wouldn't continue to lie that I am cannot serve my country.  What kind of morality is that?
• My fiancé has had threats of her job within her unit because her co-workers are mad that she made an hr report to about a more favored soldier who sexually harassed her. Because the soldier was female my fiancé is threatened to be moved to another unit while that soldier was never reprimanded.    In bct one of my drill sergeants made derogatory statements regarding women of color because he suspected that we were "all dykes."
• I am forced to lie daily about my family life to my coworkers.
• I believe suspicions I was gay, in spite of being married, limited my final career opportunities ensuring I wouldn't be competitive for promotion.
• I signed up to do something I was always taught to be prestigious and honorable.  I was made to sign a document that said I have never been attracted to another male, or experience any same gender sexual encounters.  I felt second rate.  I still went on to be an honorable soldier.  My sexuality was not important.  When my team found out about me I was respected, because I did not have to lie to them.  It just hurt me emotionally that I had to pretend, pass up on sharing my experiences with someone I could have loved and shared a life with.  I knew other gay soldiers and we were not sexual degenerates.  We made just as good of a soldier as heterosexual males, as sexuality has nothing to do with your orientation.  I am proud to say I am a veteran, and that was a lie I would tell again if I had to.  Some say they are not sure if they can trust gay/lesbian soldiers, but I ask you, can you trust someone who has to live a lie?  See my blog and spread it around... www.aveteransperspective.blogspot.com
• I was having an emotional breakdown and felt that my security was threatened on the ship. Eventually I was outed and was discharged for being gay.
• When it was suspected I was gay, my Top Secret clearance was dropped to secret and I was transferred to another base. I was reassigned to a non classified position until my enlistment was over.
• Day to day challenges from subordinates and superiors based on leverage from possibly disclosing sexual orientation... nothing overt.
• I was denied entrance in the Air Force because I am gay.

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