Cover photo: Former Marine Staff Sergeant Eric Alva, a gay man who was the first injured in Iraq when he lost a leg to a land mine on the first day of the conflict, speaks at the American Veterans for Equal Rights 15th annual Veterans Day dinner. The public and media interest in him as the first injured has allowed to him argue publicly for overturning the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Photo by Tracy Baim. 2. Eric Alva and Rochelle Crump, who spoke to the group about the duty of this nation to provide health care for veterans and to honor the service of LGBT veterans. Crump helped create Chicago's annual municipal recognition ceremony for GLBT veterans as Director/Community Liaison for Veterans' Affairs under the Commission on Human Relations. She served in the United States Women's Army Corps from 1971 to 1973. 3. Alva and Ed Zasadil, a WWII veteran. 4. Alva accepts Chicago AVER's Happy Warrior award from Jean Albright. 5. John Pennycuff and Robert Castillo accept the Happy Warrior award from chapter president Jim Darby. 6. travis, chapter treasurer, performs the national anthem. 7. Left to right: Jim Darby with Alva; Ed Wosyslus, chapter secretary; Dorothy Hajdys, mother of slain sailor Allan Schindler; and Randy Williamson at the gravesite.
The Chicago Chapter of AVER laid flowers over the Veterans' Day weekend at the grave of Navy Seaman Allen R. Schindler in Steger, Ill. Schindler, a gay man, was brutally murdered by shipmates in a 1992 hate crime. The gay veterans were joined by Dorothy Hajdys, the mother of the slain sailor, and Alva. Photos by Tracy Baim and Jean Albright; text by Jean Albright.
