Former Maj. Mike Almy was discharged from the U.S. Air Force after 13 years of service when his sexuality was discovered. (John Lund/MNS)
WASHINGTON– Now that the White House and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have voiced approval, Congress may vote to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell as early as this week. Law since 1993, nearly 14,000 U.S. troops have been discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, according to Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.
Former Maj. Mike Almy is one of the thousands discharged.
Almy, 39, grew up in a military family. “Pretty much all the men in my family were in the military in some form or another. I always knew that I would follow suit and go in the military in some capacity,” Almy said. “I didn’t really know what civilians were when growing up, so I kind of just had the mindset that I was going to go in the military.”
Former Maj. Mike Almy said the United States is the only country that has legislated its ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, while similar bans in other countries are military policies. (John Lund/MNS)
After participating in ROTC while in college at Wright State University, Almy went on active duty in the U.S. Air Force in 1993, the same year Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was enacted.
By 2005, Almy was a major, and lead a team of about 200 men and women who were responsible for maintaining all the systems controlling the airspace over Iraq. In January of that year, Almy was named one of the top officers in his field. But only weeks after that honor, unknown to Almy, someone stumbled upon his personal emails on a military computer, and his secret was exposed.
OUTED
Almy finished his a tour of duty in Iraq in February 2005. Weeks later, while stationed in Germany, Almy’s commander called him into his office, and read him the military’s policy on homosexuality.
“I had no idea what was going on. And then he hands me the stack of emails, and asks ‘how do you explain these?’ and I obviously recognize them as ones I had written to family and friends while I was serving in Iraq,” Almy said. “But I’m thinking, ‘how the heck did he get a hold of these?’ I know they’re not supposed to search for emails, you know, search upon don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Almy said his commander wanted him to make a statement admitting to the emails. “It would have made it much easier for them to throw me out,” Almy said. “I told my commander, ‘I’m not going to make a statement until I talk to a lawyer first.’ And so, we went around and around for about for about 20 minutes and then finally he said ‘ok, you’re relieved of your duties.’ Basically, ‘you’re fired.’ Just like that, on the spot.”
Former Maj. Mike Almy said nearly 14,000 troops have been discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. (John Lund/MNS)
Almy fought the charge of violating Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, simply because he never ‘told.’
“I personally didn’t violate the policy. I never told. The military asked,” Almy said. “I just felt completely betrayed by the military, by my country, after I had served, after I had risked my life overseas.
After 16 months of fighting the charges, Almy ultimately received an honorable discharge from the military.
“On my final day, I was given a police escort from the base,” said Almy. “As if I was a common criminal or threat to national security.”
Almy was devastated. “I loved the job I had, and I loved the men and women that I worked with. We had just come off of a tremendous mission which was one of the highlights of my career.”
There were points that Almy didn’t want to go on with his life. “My whole world had just been turned upside down. I was actually probably suicidal for the first couple weeks after I was fired,” Almy said. “And it was just through a few close friends who pulled me through and I just drew in their strength cause I had none at the time.”
Former Maj. Mike Almy said he believes Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell will be repealed this year. (John Lund/MNS)
WORKING TO REPEAL THE BAN
Today, Almy works part time lobbying Congress to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. “The last couple of months have been pretty amazing from the stand point that I took what was a horrible experience and just the low point of my life and turned it into something positive, and something productive,” Almy said.
Almy said if Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed, he will return to serve. “[The military] is something that I dedicated my entire adult life to. I want to finish on my own terms,” Almy said. “I also look forward to coming back on active duty to be an example of a good officer who was thrown out under a horrible law.”