Navy Lt. Gary Ross did something very special to celebrate the end of the US military policy of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ He got married.
This morning, the United States became the thirtieth country in the world to allow gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members to serve openly in the military. And that means that after eleven years, Ross can tell people about his life partner, Dan Swezy.
Despite the fact that they live in Arizona, the couple decided to marry in Vermont. Only part of the reason was the fact that same-sex marriage is still illegal and unrecognized in the state where they live. The other reason was that Vermont is on the east coast, and therefore would allow them to marry at the very first possible moment after the ban against gays serving in the military was lifted.
And so at midnight, the pair exchanged vows, with Ross in his full dress uniform, just like any other military groom. Swezy, a civilian, wore a tux.
All the same, Ross doesn’t plan to make a big deal out of his marriage when he returns to his post at Fort Huachuca.
“Even though the law goes away, it will still be the white elephant in the room until everyone comes to terms with it.”
But he notes that the change in the law means that he no longer has to lie ‘several times a day’ to hide his sexual orientation.
I hope you will all join with me in wishing these two gentlemen every happiness and a long, loving marriage.
I only wish my father, a two-war Navy veteran, could have lived to see this day. He’d have been truly happy to see this.