Photo By Spc. Samuel Brandon | Pfc. Link Gilmore, a signal support systems specialist from the Retransmission Team,...... read more read more
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From 1994 to 2011, LGBTQ+ Soldiers were not allowed to be open about their sexuality. These restrictions were put in place by the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ laws constitued in 1994, which were officially repealed on Sept. 21, 2011, removing the restrictions gay and lesbian Soldiers faced. From 2019 to 2021, transgender people were not allowed to join the military until President Joe Biden repealed these laws.
The victory of gay rights is celebrated in the month of June, which recognizes those in the LGBTQ+ community. The struggle to be accepted and acknowledged by others has been ongoing since the Gay Rights Movement in 1924.
Pfc. Link Gilmore, a Soldier serving as a signal support systems specialist for the Systems and Services Company Detachment, and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, mentioned that Pride Month is important to him. Gilmore was raised in Riverview, Florida, where his father served in the U.S. Army for 22 years, working as a recruiter, and his mother is a teacher. Gilmore’s family moved around frequently due to his father’s job.
“My childhood was pretty okay for the most part,” Gilmore said. “I grew up as a military brat, which some people can relate to.”
In eighth grade, Gilmore came to the realization that he was transgender, a male born in a female’s body. When he was 14 years old, he started identifying by he/him pronouns, and this realization changed his life from that point onward.
“I started socially transitioning because of what my childhood was like,” Gilmore said. “People do refer to me by my preferred name, or they just call me ‘Gilmore’ which is the safe alternative.”
When Gilmore came out to his parents, he described the experience as difficult. He also stated that ‘coming out’ is a significant part of a LGBTQ+ person’s life, signifying the effort of being open about how they identify.
“I was 17 years old when I told my mom I was transgender,” Gilmore said. “I was 19 when I told my dad.”
When he was 18, Gilmore decided to join the U.S. Army. He didn’t have many plans after high school, so his father stepped in and helped him find a future in the Army. His father helped him undergo the recruiting process, and within a year, he joined the Army to work as a signal support systems specialist.
“The medical and mental help I have gotten in the Army has been wonderful,” Gilmore said. “I’m currently in the process of transitioning, and it’s been a smooth experience.”
Gilmore is currently serving at Fort Carson, Colorado, his first duty station. His transitioning process was made easier with help from a drill sergeant on Fort Gordon, Georgia.
“When I was in Advanced Individual Training, or AIT, I met a transgender drill sergeant who had transitioned here at Fort Carson,” Gilmore said. “He gave me a plan to follow when I eventually arrived at Fort Carson. When I met him, I felt like the Army was accepting me for who I was, and it made me feel acknowledged.”
Gilmore’s outgoing and friendly attitude has not gone unnoticed by his peers. Spc. Mason Cuffie, a Soldier who works closely with Gilmore in the same unit, regularly talks about how far they’ve come.
“It’s great how when society progresses, the Army can follow so closely,” Cuffie said. “Gilmore is probably one of the nicest people I’ve met since my time in. He’s one of the few people I’d consider a friend and not a coworker.”
Cuffie stated that Gilmore’s story is an important one to hear and understand. From 1994 to 2021, there have been changes in the way representation is shown in the U.S. Army. Transgender people are allowed to enlist, and gay soldiers are allowed to be open about their relationships.
Now, the U.S. Army accepts the LGBTQ+ Soldiers proudly. If you would like to know more about LGBTQ+ history within the U.S. Army, go to militaryonesource.mil.
| Date Taken: | 06.23.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 07.07.2022 14:04 |
| Story ID: | 423645 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Web Views: | 237 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, LGBTQ+ Soldier Finds Acceptance In the Army, by SPC Samuel Brandon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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