Lt. Dan Choi discharged from Army National Guard
Lt. Dan Choi, the openly gay soldier who is an Iraq war veteran, said Thursday he has been discharged under the military's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy.
Lt. Dan Choi stands alone after handcuffing himself to the fence outside the White House during a protest for gay-rights in Washington, April 16. Choi was part of a group demanding that President Obama keep his promise to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in 2010.
AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Tustin, California
A gay soldier from California says he's been honorably discharged from the Army National Guard under the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
Lt. Dan Choi, an Iraq war veteran from Orange County, was discharged from the New York Army National Guard on Thursday. He called the move "infuriating and painful."
Choi announced he was gay on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" more than a year ago. He had been waiting for military officials to decide whether he would be discharged.
"Don't ask, don't tell" prohibits the military from asking about the sexual orientation of service members but requires discharge of those who acknowledge being gay or are discovered to be engaging in homosexual activity.
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