GLBT activist to give lecture

Eric Alva will address U.S. Army "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy

By: Teri Ruland

Posted: 10/9/08

Eric Alva, an Iraq War veteran and Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender rights activist, will be presenting a lecture on the, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the Army as part of Coming Out Week.

He will be giving a presentation on the policy because of his personal experience in the Marine Corps. He was the first soldier to be severely injured in the Iraq War and the first to receive a Purple Heart award in the war.

"Repealing the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy so gay men and women can serve in the military freely without discrimination [is important]," Alva said.

He said that since GLBT rights have become so much a part of his life, he won't stop until what needs to be done is done.

"I think he feels passionately [about 'don't ask, don't tell'] because he served his country for 13 years and sacrificed for his country, and had to do so under a veil of secrecy because the don't ask don't tell policy forces an individual to lie about their personal life," said Lowell Kane, program coordinator of the GLBT Resource Center.

Coming Out Week events
7 p.m. Thursday in Rudder 601
Keynote Speaker Eric Alva will present "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

7 p.m. Friday in Memorial Student Center 206
Coming Out Stories

Monday - Friday The GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) Resource Center will have resource tables in Rudder Plaza

Additional information is available online at http://glbt.tamu.edu/