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Local aviator to Obama: Repeal policy on gays

Associated Press photo by Charlie Litchfield Victor Fehrenbach

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By Jessica Wehrman, Staff Writer 12:47 AM Tuesday, June 30, 2009

WASHINGTON — Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach, the highly decorated Air Force aviator and Dayton native who protected Washington, D.C., in the days after Sept. 11 and helped U.S. forces take the Baghdad Airport in 2003, spent Monday, June 29, at the White House, trying to convince President Barack Obama to let him keep his job.

Fehrenbach joined about 250 to 300 members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community as part of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall protests in New York that are widely credited with galvanizing the gay rights movement in the United States. Fehrenbach spoke to Obama for about two minutes and asked that he repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy — the very policy that has endangered Fehrenbach’s 28-year Air Force career.

“I didn’t let him go,” said Fehrenbach, who has received nine air medals, including one for heroism, and flown 400 combat hours.

Fehrenbach said after talking with Obama, he felt confident “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” would eventually be repealed. But he said he was not sure it would happen before he is discharged. His case is before the Personnel Review Board, which is considering whether to recommend discharging him. After that, it will go to the Air Force secretary for review.

He said Obama told him that while 75 percent of the public supports repealing the policy, senior leaders in the military still need to be convinced.

“I said to him, ‘The people I serve with don’t care,’ ” Fehrenbach said. “This is a nonissue.”

More than 13,000 homosexuals have been discharged from the military because of their sexual preferences.

Obama has been criticized for appearing reluctant to fulfill a campaign promise to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” On Monday, he reiterated his desire to see the policy repealed, and said his administration is transitioning toward repealing the policy.

Fehrenbach, 39, who was born at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and graduated from Wayne High School in Huber Heights, is an assistant director of operations for the 366th Operations Support Squadron at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. He was outed by a civilian acquaintance.

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Military members don't suspend their morals judgements during combat. These are not thrill killings!!! They have to kill or possibly be killed. More survival than moral suspension.

What post was this commander assigned to? If he served openly then you failed in your duty to report them, like it or not. How can your unit be cohesive if you do not follow the rules and regulations as required by your oath of enlistment/commisioning. I'm sure you are making this all up.

Dave
8:35 AM, 7/1/2009

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Killing is not morally acceptable to people either. Military members suspend moral judgment for unit cohesiveness and mission. Non-combat personnel and religious members (a chosen lifestyle) never had problems serving together, having different views.

They were mature or learning to mature. That's expected in and from military service.

A post commander dated another man. We were all fine with gays serving, openly. A few who weren't, didn't re-enlist making our unit even more cohesive.

Leslie
5:17 PM, 6/30/2009

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The unit cohesiveness has been studied and well documented. There is no iffyness to it. I understand many may dissagree with it because it will disprove their cause. You simply cannot force people to morally accept it when it goes against their beliefs, (right or wrong).

I believe, over time, that this view will change, but it cannot be forced. We shall wait and see.

Dave
3:57 PM, 6/30/2009

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Might I gently suggest that you're talking about a stereotype? It's kind of like saying that women shouldn't be in the military because they're afraid of spiders, or Hispanics because they're lazy, or men because they chase skirts.

These are silly stereotypes, and they have little (if anything) to do with reality, certainly not with Lt. Col. Fehrenbach or 1Lt. Choi, and we shouldn't punish them for others' biases.

As for unit cohesion, that argument's iffy at best. http://a2a.me/ROf

Matt Algren
3:42 PM, 6/30/2009

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The same sex "flamboyant" lifestyle. I'm not saying all are this way, but the many that are have been shown to severly decrease moral and cohesiveness in the military.

The flamboyance I'm talking about are the ones that are overly gay. The ones that even annoy gay people.

Dave
2:54 PM, 6/30/2009

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