Suggested Lead:
This year marks the nine year anniversary of the military’s repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Prior to that, LGBTQ individuals in the military lived with the risk of exposure leading to the end of their careers. Senior Airman Micah [Coat] spoke to a retired Airman and his husband about what it was like to live through the historic change.
Suggested Tag:
To listen to the full interview with Tucker and Delgado, visit [dvids-hub-dot-net-forward slash-unit-forward slash-four-five-two-A-M-W]
Reporter:
March Air Reserve Base team member Marvin Tucker and his longtime partner Joshua Delgado began their relationship in the mid-[nineties]. They had to hide their relationship from all but their most trusted circle while Marv served in uniform. When he retired from the Air Force Reserve the couple still didn’t have the legal right to marry. That changed in 2013 when California’s Proposition [Eight] and the Defense of Marriage Act were struck down. At the suggestion of a friend, Marv asked the installation commander if he and Josh could marry on base.
Marv Tucker:
“I made an appointment to see General Mahaney and asked him permission if we could use the chapel. And knowing that we were the first couple to do it, he said “if we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it right!”
Reporter:
Marv and Josh recall being worried about possible protests in response to the wedding ceremony, however Security Forces defended the big day by screening anyone moving through the immediate area. On August 13, 2013 they became the first same sex-couple married in the installation’s historic chapel.
Marv Tucker:
I remember some of the cops getting off their shift and wound up mingling with the family. Everybody treated us so well. Everything was on base. Yeah, our family was able to attend, but our “family” was able to have a ceremony, because March is our family.”
Reporter:
Though the couple celebrates the entire 26 years they have been together, this August the couple will also celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary.
Reporting from March Air Reserve Base, California - I’m Senior Airman Micah Coate.
| Date Taken: | 06.20.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2020 20:36 |
| Category: | Newscasts |
| Audio ID: | 63837 |
| Filename: | 2006/DOD_107867903.mp3 |
| Length: | 00:01:35 |
| Location: | MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
| High-Res. Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Looking back on historic March Chapel wedding with “Pride”, by MSgt Jaime Ciciora and SSgt Micah Coate, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
