Sailors at Naval Support Activity Mid-South Mark LGBT Pride Month with Observance

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- More than 80 Sailors and civilians took time away from their work and gathered aboard Naval Support Activity (NSA) Mid-South to participate in first observance of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month June 27, at the installation.

The event, held in the NSA Mid-South Helmsman complex, was organized to celebrate the contributions of Sailors and service members who identify as LGBT and to recognize the importance and enriching role diversity plays in the nation, the Navy and among all who serve.

The recent repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," has cleared the way for LGBT service members to serve openly in the armed forces, and one of the ways the Department of Defense (DoD) has responded is to recognize June as LGBT Pride Month. This led Senior Chief Culinary Specialist (SW/SCW) Dwayne Beebe, attached to Navy Personnel Command, to take the lead in putting together an observance on board NSA Mid-South.

Beebe said he wanted the event to be a chance for LGBT Sailors to show they are proud of both their accomplishments in the Navy and also who they are as people.

"I was extremely excited when I looked up and saw so many Sailors and people in the room, because we had all put a lot of effort into making this event happen, and it meant a lot to know they are there to be supportive," said Beebe.

Beebe estimated the crowd size to be between 70 and 100.

"This kind of response shows that we are not interested in activism. We are interested in celebrating the diversity and the differences of every valuable person in the Armed Forces," he said.

The event featured guest speakers including Navy Personnel Command Force Master Chief Leland E. Moore, Navy Recruiting Command Force Master Chief Earl Gray, and NSA Mid-South Command Master Chief Tuck Williams.

During his remarks, Moore said the day was about recognition of the ways gay, lesbian and bisexual Sailors have and will serve and contribute to our nation and Navy.

"Lesbian and gay service members and lesbian, gay and transgender DoD civilians have been, and are, an integral part of America's armed forces even as they served in silence," said Moore. "Now they can serve openly and represent our country with pride as they have from the beginning, which makes our nation and military much stronger. Today, we all stand equal. We fight for the same cause, and we all represent the Navy's values of honor, courage and commitment. "

As Sailors and civilians sat together they also heard remarks from President Barack Obama, former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and read words from the late, former Navy Lt. j.g and city of San Francisco politician and mayoral candidate Harvey Milk.

As a show of unity during his remarks, Force Master Chief Gray had all Sailors in attendance stand and recite the Sailor's Creed, which represents both the promise of loyal, honorable service of all U.S. Sailors, and is an affirmation of the commitment to treat all Navy shipmates with respect and fairness.

"As we move forward through the years, our Navy continues to get stronger," said Gray. "We are blessed to have people in our Navy who are willing to stand for truth, thus, moving people to think about what inclusion really means. We all appreciate your patience as we have traveled on the long road to get here. People move people, and though some may move faster than others, progress attained always helps to ease the battle scars obtained on the journey there. This position is directly tied to our Sailor's Creed and includes all Sailors, not a select few."

For more news from Naval Support Activity, Mid-South, visit www.navy.mil/local/nsams/.