Lieutenant Colonel Victor J. Fehrenbach, a fighter weapons systems officer, has been flying the F-15E Strike Eagle since 1998. He has flown numerous missions against Taliban and al-Qaida targets, including the longest combat mission in his squadron's history. On that infamous September 11, 2001, Lt. Col. Fehrenbach was handpicked to fly sorties above the nation's capital. Later he flew combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has received at least 30 awards and decorations including nine air medals, one of them for heroism, as well as campaign medals for Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He is now a flight instructor in Idaho, where he has passed on his skills to more than 300 future Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force weapons systems officers. Since 1987, when Fehrenbach entered Notre Dame on a full Air Force ROTC scholarship, the government has invested twenty-five million dollars in training and equipping him to serve his country, which he has done with what anyone would agree was great distinction. He comes from a military family. His father was a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, his mother an Air Force nurse and captain. Lt. Col. Fehrenbach has honored that tradition. - Derrick

O_O - sofarsoShawn

Great way to make decisions, military. - anna sauce

When will people realize that your sexuality doesn't define you? He was gay, ok...but look at his, um...accomplishments? All that's negated because he's gay? - Derrick

The policy makes so little sense and hurts so many people. America is now LESS safe because this man isn't allowed to continue his service. - Jennifer Dittrich

homophobic heads of military who believe this somehow lowers morale of the troops or creates an environment that's not conducive to military objectives. bunch of BS - Cee Bee

:( - Tracy Benham

Did you all see the John Stewart commentary on this (discharges of gays in the military)? It was spot on. - mikepk

http://blog.indecisionforever.com/2009... - mikepk

I can't wait for the lawsuits for re: this & there better be - sofarsoShawn

What makes it worse is that he's made a decision to be a member of the armed services. Chris Rock said something to the effect of "Saddam Hussein could be riding down Flatbush Avenue in a tank...I ain't fightin'". I would throw a rock and then run and hide behind something. This dude is obviously honorable, committed, and is excellent at his job. - Derrick

Ridiculous. - Michelle Martinez

par for the course, no? these clowns have been making sh!tty decisions for decades. - Carlos Ayala

If your willing to fight for my freedom and protection I don't care who sleeps next to you in the bed. This is Bull. - Tony

Just wondering - anything Americans can do other than bitch on FriendFeed? I have no Idea, 'coz I ain't one. Write to someone or something? Something that can have a 'real' effect? - Yuvi

this has been an ongoing issue with many people voicing their displeasure. issues like these fall on deaf ears because the power players are too stubborn and conservative to open the doors for any real change. besides, this country is fractured, broken even - Cee Bee

Very despicable, it makes me sad. Maybe this will be the high-profile case that gets enough people angry to bring about change. Nah, we'll have to wait until it's a Senator's son. - Owen

fuckers! So stupid and so wrong. - BEX

Thanks for sharing this. This is so sad, and so wrong. - mark

ahhhhhh so pissed !!! - Caroline

Wow, that's bullshit. - Andrew VanderVeen

I have no words. - Nine

I think that's a right decision. In Turkey, if you are gay, you are discharged automatically. it happens so much that nobody cares about it anymore. I can't think of an army full of gays. Sorry :( - Onur Gündüz

So if you don´t say it or show it how does the Turkish or US army tell ? Gaydar ? See, it´s actually the act of being open about it that is punished, not actually being gay, even if you have have been protecting everyone of your nation and ensuring they can pursue happiness regardless of colour, opinion or orientation. This makes it even more despicable and hypocritical IMO. - Thomas Bøhm

The military kicked out 90% of their Farsi/Arab language translators because they were gay. It was the main reason why we were so behind on our "fight" with Al-Queda. Do you think they learned ANYTHING from that debacle? The only way this is going to change is if the people on top stop being threatened by anything they don't know crap about. Which is probably not going to happen anytime soon. - Helen Sventitsky

Onur: that would be the problem right there; the banality of evil so to speak when a society becomes habituated to discrimination so that "no one even cares any more" something's definitely wrong with that society, it also begs the question who's next? As Helen pointed out discrimination can happen to any one. However to this post, it proves sexual orientation doesn't factor in to performance on the battle field. - sofarsoShawn

Thomas: I think army officers has to be educated in a different way. Army is not really a place for any conflicts. You can't bring a communist soldier and a racist soldier together and want them to fight together for their country. They both love their nation, but they won't fight together. We need a homogeneous system in Army. And I don't see it as 'punishment' If you are different than army is not for you. This is rules, and they don't tell you much about your sex life.. I think that's why they discharged that officer, because homogeneous does not mean homo. - Onur Gündüz

Time for this to change. I've known many gay service men and women...didn't change a damn thing about their abilities... - ‘-.-’ Tutivillus Grift

Onur, A homogeneous system is impossible. Do you have any idea how many different backgrounds soldiers come from? I served with people from everywhere, and I didn't always agree with their outlooks, but it's just like any other job, you deal with it. There is not a homogeneous system now, nor will there ever be one. DADT is stupid and needs to be changed. - Michelle Martinez

Here is the best quote I have seen about this from vetvoice.com: "But here is the most egregious facet of this case: DADT supporters argue that open homosexual service is detrimental to unit cohesion. Which damages unit cohesion more? A homosexual serving in a military unit who has not allowed his sexual orientation to interfere with his professionalism or his career, or removing a decorated fighter pilot and combat leader with 18 years of experience from his unit two weeks before deployment? " - Michelle Martinez

Michelle: I actually don't know much about US or any other army. I'm speaking for Turkish army, here army officers usualy don't have different backgrounds. We have private army schools over here, from primary school to college like academies. and you must graduate from one of them if you want to be an army officer. Being a soldier is obligatory. Law says, every Turkish men has to serve for army for 5-15 months. (btw, if you prove you are gay, then you don't go to Army, because army doesn't want you) Those soldiers have different backgrounds, but if we are talking about army officers, yes we have a homogeneous system over here, nothing is impossible :) - Onur Gündüz

Onur, I can assure you it will never happen here. Never. And I don't want it to happen. - Michelle Martinez

Michelle, I hope it doesn't happen in your country. But this is middle-east, you know? :) - Onur Gündüz

Gotcha. - Michelle Martinez

check this pic ,Same Story?For Vietnam veteran http://img.yawoot.com/971cee5... - Amir

Same story, different chapter. That pic (which is powerful as hell) is of a Vietnam vet, this story is current. - Michael W. May

Amir, thanks for sharing that. Like MWM said, that image is very powerful and really points out they hypocrisy on this matter. - Derrick

F---ing shameful - Glen Mistletoe

Nothing against the linguists, because they're important when a country is fighting two wars - but I suspect this will get more traction, because dude was a fighter pilot. - cecily

While I agree the policy doesn't make sense, it *IS* policy. By not adhering to it, he gave the goverment every right from a legal standpoint to "fire" him. He signed a contract. Does it make his achievements smaller? No. Will I get flamed for this? Maybe. People tend to overlook the fact that the policy is known and that it's basically a breach of contract. - CAJ, somewhere else

Onur, perhaps it is different in Turkey, but the US military has made people from different backgrounds fight in the trenches with each other for ages. The US Armed Forces were forcibly integrated in 1948, in the midst of some of the most despicable racist acts that this country had ever seen. Women were allowed to serve in combat roles in 1994. Sometimes it takes *real leadership* to force institutions to make a change. I'm looking DIRECTLY at you, President Obama. - cecily

Alan Jackson: Agreed. However... It is a policy maybe 10% of the soldiers, both enlisted and officer, I served with agreed with the 10yrs I was active. It is a policy that has, at the least, questionable civil rights issues. It is a policy that like any before it which discriminate can only be helped through protest actions like this. - Michael W. May

Cecily - of course some of that forced diversity wasn't always positive. In WW I, for example, new immigrants (who weren't citizens yet) were drafted into the military. Many of them knew little to no English (a small part of my dissertation discusses them). The military arranged for literacy education for them so that they could learn to follow orders (as in, they were never expected to be in a position to give orders). But, in many ways the military has been more successful at integration. - Katy S

Cecily - also, I agree with what you said regarding the fighter pilot getting more attention than the linguists. He is in a traditionally masculine part of a masculine institution. - Katy S

I just find it interesting that those who are in a position to essentially protect the civil rights of a country's citizens don't fall under the order of having their own rights protected. - Derrick

Derrick - agreed. It's a ridiculous law (as are some others). - Katy S

This is ridiculous and sad - Lindsey is Fierce!

Dislike - Hutch Carpenter

Liking this for the commentary, not for decorated veteran who has already proven himself being kicked out for the stupidest of reasons. - josh neff, geek at large

Michael, I just want folks to realize that the government is releasing him not because he's gay but because it's against a policy. If people focused on the need for a policy change instead of saying the government is stupid or whatever, then something more productive might happen. Talk to your congressperson. Act! That's how to prevent things like this from happening in the future. - CAJ, somewhere else

Of course it wasn't positive, and I think we'd be crazy to think this change will be positive either. What I'm talking about is having the courage to make the change despite your own personal misgivings. I know Obama's not all that fond of the gheys, but Harry Truman didn't like black people either, and he still integrated the military. - cecily

Or rather , the change *will* be positive, but the reaction to it probably won't be. I do have a brain, it's just on vacation over in that MLK/Spielberg movie thread. - cecily

Cecily - Yeah, my brain is stuck in my dissertation right now (I was just working on that military-related section, so that's where I went). Ultimately, a lot of imperfect people have made changes that are ultimately for the better. Hopefully this is one more area where there will be positive change soon. - Katy S

disgraceful!! the miltary's policy of dont ask, dont tell but if we find out youre out is stupid beyond words. - Mel Buckpitt

What's the Military's official policy on this? I've never heard what the reasoning is behind DADT, other than some vague references to "fraternizing." - MASTER OF THE OBVIOUS

Do not like. :( - Carmen

Such a shame. - Nation Hahn

Outrageous .. Im sure the Lawyers ,, are gathering at the door .. what a distinguished career .. - johnpiercy

guy haz Mad Skillz - johnpiercy

But the military will bend over backwards to keep and promote hetero male soldiers who harrass and rape female soldiers. LOVELY. - MiniMage TKDteacher of FF

If you fight the Taliban for the US Army in pink underwear though, you get commended by Robert Gates himself and a promotion;) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol... - Thomas Bøhm

I'd like to hear someone explain the "foxhole" hetero paranoia to his face. - Richard ¿digame? Walker