The LIKEME® Organization

I have known I am different since I was eleven years old...didn't know it had a name however. Found that out when I joined the military in 1966. During that tour of duty, I spent 15 months in Germany (where I learned that not every country frowns on gays and lesbians) and 18 months in Vietnam. I too faced suicide after returning from Vietnam because I had to hide who I was!!! I wanted to make the military my career but I had to sacrifice my integrity to do so. Serving in the military, being my passion in life, won out!!! I spent 28 1/2 years in the military and finally retired in 1999. I started the new millennium FREE and totally out of the closet!!!

Chely, thank you for your courage and what you are doing to make young people's lives better!!!

I am a single Bi-Male and have known this for quite some time but have fought with it for most of my life. I have known this since around the sixth grade. When you are Bi it's even harder at times because of not knowing who you prefer to want to spend the rest of your life with or at least time. I am comfortable where I am in life and since I like to travel quite a bit it's hard to establish a relationship anyway but no excuse.

I appreciate that Chely came out and it has helped me more to understand who I am as a person. I have been friends with Gay's and Lesbians within the Army, which I spent some time, and the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy upsets me for they fight for our country and our rights and do a good job at it too. I need to be a bit more active in the fight for our rights but not afraid to let someone know where I stand.

The interests I have are in horses, lighthouses, where my photography comes in handy. I am looking forward to meeting some more of my LGBT family on the LIKE ME site and am so happy this is being done.

I am 28 years old. I came out at 19. I wanted to earlier but was scared. Didn’t want to lose my friends or family, but I took the step and mom and dad weren’t happy. To this day mom still isn’t but dad is accepting it better. My friends said they didn’t care, they loved me anyway.

At 21 I went on and served in the US Army for 4 yrs, wish it was longer but can’t do anything about that. At first I didn’t tell anyone I was gay. But then after someone threatened me and my job for not sleeping with him I took it one step further. Higher command left me alone and told him to stay away from me and moved him to another unit.

After a few months I decided to be open to my friends. After that I didn’t care who knew. I went on to Iraq with my unit and when we got back. Everyone woman and man told me that even though I am gay that they would go to war with me any day. They loved me and I would always be their friend and their family. I am still openly gay and I love my life.