Witt on DADT: "It Kills Me"

Maj. Margaret Witt, the decorated Air Force Reserve flight nurse discharged under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, said during her federal trial Monday that it "kills me" not to be able to care for the nation's wounded soldiers in war time.

According to the Associated Press, Witt took the stand as a witness in the trial seeking her reinstatement in a Tacoma, Wash., courtroom.

"It's what I've spent over half my life training to do," said Witt as her voice broke, according to the AP. "I miss being able to be the one that that soldier looks at and I can do something for him. I'm not complete, and it kills me to not be there."

Witt sued the Air Force when she was discharged in 2006 after she was outed. In 2008 the U.S. court of appeals for the ninth circuit overturned a dismissal of Witt's case and ruled that the government must show that discharging a gay service member is necessary to preserve morale and unit cohesion.

Closing arguments are expected in the case Wednesday. It is not clear when Judge Ronald B. Leighton will rule.