Jim Darby was made an honorary lifetime member of AVER (American Veterans for Equal Rights) at the organization’s national convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on April 21.
Darby is the founder of AVER’s Chicago chapter. He served four years in the U.S. Navy during the 1950s at the time of the Korean War during the outright ban on gays serving—and well before “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
The convention ran April 21-24. Among the events were training of benefit status for transgender service members; a social mixer and military banquet; and even sightseeing opportunities. Among those appearing was Staff Sgt. (Retired) Eric Alva and Lt. Julie Roth (Retired). Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer—the highest ranking active officer to challenge the U.S. military’s ban on LGBT service members—was presented with the 2016 Leonard Matlovich Medal for Distinguished Service.
See AVER.us.