In a First, D.C. Pride Will Feature Military Color Guard

Presenting the U.S. flag and the flags of each service branch, the color guard will lead off today's Capital Pride parade.

Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.

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Trudy Ring

June 07 2014 6:24 AM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

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When the 39th annual Capital Pride parade makes its way through the Dupont Circle neighborhood in Washington, D.C., today, it will feature a new contingent -- a U.S. Armed Forces color guard.

"The Department of Defense has authorized what military gay rights groups and organizers of the Capital Pride parade say is a first nationwide -- a color guard that will present the red, white and blue as well as flags of each branch of the military," reports The Washington Post.

Military installations throughout the nation have their own color guards, and apparently all have rejected previously requests to appear in LGBT pride parades, according to the Post. They have usually cited scheduling conflicts, as there has been no official policy against their participation in pride events since the end of "don't ask, don't tell" in 2011.

The color guard in the Capital Pride parade is from the U.S. Army Military District of Washington. Its duties include presenting the flags at congressional and White House events. It will lead off the parade, preceding grand marshal Chris Kluwe, the former Minnesota Vikings punter and outspoken LGBT ally.

"We knew we might get turned down, but we asked and they said yes," Capital Pride board president Bernie Delia told the Post. "I think that's very significant."