Thirty-Eight graduates
of the U.S. Military at West Point came out with the
announcement that they are forming a support group with an
offer to help their alma mater educate future Army leaders on
the need to accept and honor the sacrifices of lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender troops.
According to the
Navy Times
, "Knights Out" would like to form a connection between gay
troops and Army administrators, particularly at West Point, to
provide an "open forum" for communication between gay West
Point graduates and their fellow alumni.
The group also hopes to
serve an advisory role for West Point leaders in the event
"don't ask, don't tell" is repealed.
"We're publicly
announcing our sexuality, our orientation," said 1st Lt. Dan
Choi (pictured), a National Guardsman with the 1st Bn., 69th
Infantry, based in Manhattan. "It's just one part of who we
are in saying that we are standing to be counted."
Knights Out joins
similar groups formed by graduates of the U.S. Naval and Air
Force academies, including the U.S. Naval Academy's USNA Out
and the U.S. Air Force Academy's Blue Alliance.