On June 25, the CCHR Advisory Council on Veteran Affairs along with the Chicago Chapter of American Veterans honored men and women from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities during a press conference at the Daley Plaza. This recognition took place at the 10th annual Salute to LGBT Veterans.

Mona Noriega, Commissioner of the City of Chicago Commission of Human Relations, was among those present. “With the repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, members of the LGBT community are no longer forced to deny who they are in order to serve our country,” she said.

Despite the recent success of having the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy repealed, members of the LGBT community and their supporters cannot forget those veterans who had to keep their sexual orientation a secret while serving the country.