City of Chicago Veterans Day tribute includes gay speaker

The annual City of Chicago Veterans Day tribute, held at Soldier Field, included an openly gay speaker for the first time, now that the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell gay ban is history.

Held 11-11-11, the event featured many politicians and military brass, and hundreds of audience members. Speakers included event host Mayor Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Gov. Pat Quinn. Representing gays in the military was U. S. Air Force MSgt. (Retired) Jean Albright, director of new media at Windy City Times. She served 20 years in the Air Force and is a former board members of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. She emphasized that gays and lesbians have always served in the military, but that now they can do so openly and proudly. Durbin also mentioned DADT, and how glad he was for the ban to be lifted.

The keynote speaker was Iraq war veteran U.S. Army Specialist (Retired) Danielle Green-Byrd, who gave an emotional and spirited speech about the loss of an arm in an explosion during the war, the heroic actions of her team members and the commitment she has to helping soldiers as they come home from the wars.

Alderman James A Balcer was the event emcee. Military and patriotic music was performed by the 85th Army Band and the United States Naval Academy Gospel Choir.

Photos for Windy City Times by Tracy Baim