Lt. Dan Choi loses first DADT battle, vows to keep fighting

June 30, 11:02 PMInternational LGBT Issues ExaminerKelvin Lynch

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                                     Lt. Dan Choi

Lt. Dan Choi, the Army National Guardsman and Arabic translator who openly challenged the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy after coming out on national television, lost his first battle today against being discharged when a military administrative board decided against him, according to the AP.

Following the decision, Choi immediately said he was 'fired for being honest.  Now we appeal.  Never give up."

Choi has become a national spokesman against the DADT policy since co-founding Knights Out, an organization for gay West Point alumni, and for coming on on The Rachel Maddow Show.  He has made numerous television appearances speaking out against the policy, and has been showing up recently at gay rights rallies.  Choi was a grand marshall in this past weekend's San Francisco Pride Parade. 

Today's board decision is not the end of the matter.  Now that it has recommended Choi's discharge, it must be approved by the commander of the U.S. 1st Army, which oversees the National Guard.   No word yet on when that will happen.

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