By Nicole Murray Ramirez
Ceremony to celebrate the start of construction is being held today, Friday, December 13, 2019.
This morning, indeed this day, is a historic one for our great nation, especially for our LGBT veterans and our Community. In 1994 “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” (DADT) was enacted by Department of Defense Directive 1304.26, issued on December 21, 1993, and it wasn’t until July 6, 2011 that a Federal Appeals Court ruling barred further enforcement.
In October of 2011 I announced that The International Imperial Court System – the oldest LGBTQ organization in the world, now with chapters in 70 cities, founded in 1965 in San Francisco by War World II veteran Jose Julio Sarria – was launching a national letter writing campaign to the Secretary of the Navy to request the naming of a U.S. Navy vessel after U.S. Navy veteran Harvey Milk, who was stationed for a time in San Diego. The Imperial Courts had launched the same letter writing campaign that resulted in a U.S. Mail Harvey Milk postage stamp.
There are 3 ceremonies for the building of a U.S. Navy vessel and today the 1st ceremony will be held at the San Diego NASSCO Shipping Yard. A ceremony will be held for “The Cutting of the Steel” to officially begin the building of the USNS Harvey Milk, and we will be honoring the workers. Mayor Kevin Faulconer, California Senate President Toni Atkins, State Assembly Majority Leader Todd Gloria, and other officials will be in attendance. I arranged for LGBT active U.S. Navy personnel and LGBT veterans to proudly be in attendance. Also in attendance will be members of the International Imperial Court Council. Today’s very special guest attending will be Harvey’s nephew Stuart Milk, founder and president of The Harvey Milk Foundation.
The letter writing campaign started in San Diego and as the National Chair of the letter writing campaign I want to most sincerely thank everyone who supported our campaign Today, Harvey is beaming on ALL of us.
More information, pictures, and video of today’s historic ceremony will be posted here.
