Tag Archives: Air Force

After 60 Years Lesbian Kicked Out Of The Military During The Lavender Scare Gets Honorable Discharge

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Helen Grace James grew up in Pennsylvania  and enlisted in the Air Force in 1952, and had a fine service record. She was promoted to Airman 2nd Class.

But when she was stationed at Roslyn Air Force Base on Long Island, Airman James came under investigation by the Office of Special Investigation. One night in the winter of 1955,during The Lavender Scare she sat with a friend in her car to eat sandwiches when an officer shined a blinding light into her eyes and took her into custody. She was later interrogated for hours. Investigators told Helen Grace James that if she didn’t sign a statement they put in front of her, they would tell her family she was gay.

Helen Grace James signed. She was discharged as “undesirable.”

Now60 years later Helen Grace James has,received her honorable discharge this week after decades of fighting the government for recognition.

“I’m still trying to process it,” she told NBC. “It was both joy and shock. It was really true. It was really going to be an ‘honorable discharge. The Air Force recognizes me as a full person in the military,” she said, having done “my job helping to take care of the country I love.”

United States Air Force "Flip-Flops" And Reverses Decision To Discharge Lesbian Under DADT

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The U.S. Air Force has reversed its initial decision to not discharge Lt. Robin Chaurasiya under DADT after she revealedthat she is gay. Her case has been reviewed once again and she will indeed be discharged from the military.
From The LA Times:

“Chaurasiya’s said her case began in July after a male former officer she once dated had provided her commanding officer with evidence that she was a lesbian. The Air Force dismissed that complaint. But afterward, Chaurasiya, feeling slighted, decided to declare that she was a lesbian. In December, she and her partner were joined in a civil union in New Hampshire.

A subsequent Air Force investigation found credible evidence she was a lesbian, but determined she had declared her sexual orientation in an attempt to get out of military service. The general in charge refused to remove her.

The Air Force on Monday suggested the decision to discharge her resulted from new evidence. Chaurasiya said her partner was interviewed to determine if their civil union was real.”

So there you have it. 

April 25, 2010: America still hates gays.

America is fucked..