Army Major Steve Snyder-Hill, who was famously booed by an audience during a 2011 Republican presidential debate for asking a question via YouTube about LGBTs in the military, spoke to a LGBT military healthcare symposium in Chicago Sept. 7.
The 2nd annual Operation "Do Ask, Do Tell symposium was for LGBT servicemembers, veterans and families and focused on benefits, health needs and resources. It was held at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago.
Snyder-Hill spoke of experiences as a gay service member under Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Those experiences made him feel that he had to ask the presidential candidates if they would roll back or sustain the repeal of the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy (see video). The difficulties of military service and deployment separations were multiplied for gay couples during Don't Ask, Don't Tell, he said, and continued progress is not guaranteed.
"Military people will tell you every day, it is just treacherous on your family and your relationships. Words can't articulate how hard it is on an LGBT family. At the time, we didn't have any kind of support," he said. "Josh and I hid under an escalator to be able to say goodbye. There were other families around and the wives were giving each other phone numbers to call each other and they just had that camaraderie of knowing you've got other people ... and we hid under an escalator and cried."
While soldiers of earlier eras had to write physical letters, worry about them being inspected, and wait months for replies, those in recent conflicts had Skype and cell phones, each with their own risks.
"Many times Josh would say (on the phone), 'I love you,' and I'd just (grumble) thanks, Snyder-Hill said. "But I realized I could overhear voices on the other end on others' calls, so could people overhear Josh? They'd be saying, 'Hey, your wife got a cold?' I bought headphones and turned the call down so far I could hardly hear."
He spoke of the gay jokes that LGBT servicemembers endured without exposing their reactions. On an overseas flight, the joke was made that Brokeback Mountain would be shown during the flight and the military passengers reacted with a wave of derisive laughter.
"I'll never forget the cold, dark and loneley feeling that I [had]," he said. "I was looking at my fellow soldiers, thinking, 'You are my family, you are who I am going into war with, you have to protect me. You're it. You're all I have in this war zone and you're mocking me.'"
When the opportunity to ask a question of presidential candidates came up, Snyder-Hill had to think hard about the debate organizer's request that he ask his question in the form of a YouTube clip where his face would show. But the risk was that, if Don't Ask, Don't Tell were brought back, his coming out and that of others could not be taken back. His 24 years of service, at that time, would be gone. He and his partner agreed that it was important that someone ask the question and that, if that someone was serving in combat at the time, all the better.
"So I submitted the question and my life passed before my eyes. And then the booing, it happened, and from that point it was insane," he said. As the news coverage of the booing was starting to hit, he was starting his morning in Iraq by hearing his own voice and the booing coming from every television screen lining the chow hall. After some awkwardness, he was gratified that many fellow soldiers showed interest and support.
Snyder-Hill and his partner Joshua Snyder-Hill were also plaintiffs in a lawsuit on behalf of married gay and lesbian service members and veterans. The Supreme Court decision in the Edie Windsor case did not address the situation of legally married active-duty military members and veterans. The lawsuit which specifically included veterans was important to the announcement in early September that legally married same-sex spouses of veterans will soon have benefits. ( Related coverage at www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/DOJ-Same-sex-spouses-of-veterans-will-have-benefits-/44294.html . )
Major Snyder-Hill's partner recently celebrated picking up his official military benefits card. Meanwhile, Major Snyder-Hill has completed a book which will be available soon.
The Do Ask, Do Tell event was the second in a continuing initiative to make sure LGBT veterans are aware of services and policies and feel welcome to be open about their sexual orientation while seeking care. The official repeal of the military's anti-gay policy was Sept. 20, 2011, but since 2010 the Veterans Hospital Administration has been reaffirming LGBT family members rights to patient visitation and, in June 2011, the Veterans Hospital Administration published a directive spelling out the policy regarding transgender veterans and intersex veterans.
The event in Chicago was equally attended by veterans and service providers interested in fostering a culture of easy communication between LGBT patients and providers.
Lorry Luscri and Mandi Evanson of Edward Hines Veterans Hospital have been primary organizers of the first and second events, joined in their work by Jenny Garretson and Rebecca Powers of Jesse Brown Veterans Hospital and may presenters and volunteers.
Breakout sessions covered topics including services to transgender individuals, DOMA and qualifying for benefits.
A panel of veterans who have sought healthcare through veterans spoke of the pros and cons for LGBT patients there and many resource organizations hosted information tables.
Coverage of last year's event here: www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Operation-Do-Ask-Do-Tell-reaches-out-to-LGBT-veterans/40108.html .
