This Saturday, the American Military Partner Association (AMPA) is hosting their 2nd Annual AMPA National Gala in Washington, DC. As the biggest LGBT military event of the year, this gala is expected to draw up to 400 LGBT service members, military spouses, veterans, and allies from across the country, all celebrating and honoring modern military families.
Being honored at this event are US Navy SEAL Kristin Beck, known to be the first transgender female Navy SEAL. She was thrust into the international spotlight after sharing her story on CNN with Anderson Cooper in June of 2013. She has become a passionate advocate for equality around the country and continues to appear in numerous major media outlets advocating for fairness and equality. Also being honored at the gala is Representative Dina Titus. Rep. Titus works to ensure all military families have equal access to the benefits they earned serving our country, including surviving spouse benefits, dependency benefits, and home loans. The AMPA gala will also feature Brett Jones, the nation’s first openly gay U.S. Navy SEAL. Brett received numerous awards and commendations during his Navy tenure, but was forced out of the closet, becoming the first openly gay Navy SEAL on active duty. After his honorable discharge in 2003, he continued his fight in the war as a security contractor.
The American Military Partner Association is the nation’s largest resource and support network for the partners, spouses, families, and allies of America’s LGBT service members and veterans. AMPA has grown to the strength of over 40,000 members and supporters and leads the nation in education, advocacy, and support for modern military families. AMPA advocates and educates on behalf of LGBT military families in public policy, encourages the expansion of resource and support services available to LGBT military families, and educates the public through stories in national, regional, and local media on the plight of LGBT military partners/spouses and their families. AMPA also conducts projects such as Faces in Our Families and AMPA Care Package Drives to support LGBT families. Through their work, the American Military Partner Association builds strong resources and support networks for the partners and spouses of America’s LGBT service members and veterans.
For more information about the AMPA gala, visit www.MilitaryPartners.org/Gala