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At the White House

by

Danny Ingram
President, American
Veterans For Equal Rights


On Friday, June 15th, 2012, as National President of American Veterans for Equal Rights I had the honor of visiting the White House - twice.  On Friday morning I was invited by First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden to attend a meeting of Joining Forces, the program they sponsor to support military families.  There was a twist to this meeting - sitting around the table were active duty military personnel with their same sex husbands and wives.  It was wonderful to see, there are many big problems.  We decided the best we could say is that they are good problems to have.  Later I attended the President's Reception in Honor of LGBT Pride Month.  I presented the President with AVER's Leonard P Matlovich Medal for Distinguished Service in the Defense of American Liberty.

I have been to the House of the President.  I have drunk his wine.  I have eaten his food.  And it was good.

______________________

Forgotten
by
Danny Ingram
President, American
Veterans For Equal Rights

In the corner of the nursing home, next to the artificial palm, sits an old man strapped in a wheelchair, slumped over, as dusty and forgotten as the plastic plant. He sleeps. Drool slips unnoticed from his ancient lips. Dreams pass through his silent mind. Clutching, clinging, grasping hands of sand as bullets pop all around, ringing off his steel helmet. Men yelling, falling, everywhere, cries of pain. Mother. Blasts, explosions, showers of sand sting his face. Screams of shells rip overhead. Red blood in white surf. He prays, pulling forward, looking for a shelter on the open beach. Gripping, crawling. Deafening. Dying. D-Day. First landing. Omaha Beach. First on the beachhead. Unending, longest, eternal day. Finally, darkness breached. At last. And soon to fall. Hero. Champion. Liberty. Light. Here now sits freedom's mighty ward. Silent, soiled, neglected.

Danny Ingram
www.aver.us

©  2012 Gay Military Signal