Posted on 05/13/2011 3:27:19 PM PDT by Tea Party Reveler
MAJ MARGARET WITT OF AIR FORCE RESERVE TO RETIRE WITH FULL BENEFITS - LESBIAN NURSE ACCEPTS DEAL FROM JUSTICE DEPT GIVING HER CREDIT FOR 20 YEARS SERVICE AGREEMENT ENDS FIVE YEAR LEGAL BATTLE DECORATED OFFICER HAD BEEN "OUTED" BY ANGRY EX-GALPAL - AIR FORCE KICKED MUCH RESPECTED FLIGHT NURSE OUT FOR BEING "GAY" ONLY TO LOSE FIGHT IN FEDERAL COURT WHEN JUDGE ORDERED MAJOR RE-INSTATED
© 2011 MilitaryCorruption.com
Sometimes there are "happy endings," although no one can repay Margaret Witt for the hell the Air Force put her through, starting in 2006, when she was kicked out of the Reserve simply for being "gay."
The highly-respected flight nurse, who served with the 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, had been decorated for saving a life during a medical emergency overseas. She was immensely popular with all her military colleagues and made a point of keeping her private life, private.
A vindictive ex-girlfriend decided to destroy Maj. Witt's career by running to the Air Force and "outing" her as a lesbian. The boys in blue were only too happy to start the paperwork to deny Witt her job, her pension (she was close to qualifying for retirement) and a promotion to Lt. Colonel, that many expected she would easily get.
Witt had not violated the rules of DADT ("Don't Ask, Don't Tell") and only confirmed her sexual orientation when ordered to do so, again a violation by the government of their own rules. If the irate former galpal had not exposed the nurse in hopes she would be hurt, Witt would probably have gone on to serve out her 20 years before leaving with a well-earned retirement.
But the 47 year-old Washington State woman dug in her heels and decided to fight.
WHAT'S WRONG IS JUST PLAIN WRONG
While we at MilitaryCorruption.com have differing views on the battle for gays to serve openly in the armed forces, we were appalled (see related stories box below) that this selfless, dedicated medical professional, who had hurt no one, and who had been involved with a civilian, not anyone in her chain-of-commmand, was being so severely punished.
If the Air Force brass hats had their way, Margaret Witt would be tossed out in the street with less than two years to go to qualify for retirement. She would get a less-than honorable or general discharge, and forfeit well-deserved benefits. We are sure the airman Witt saved from death didn't care his highly-trained and efficient flight nurse happened to be gay.
We decided to come out 100% behind Maj. Witt and editorialized for her retention. That upset many of our readers, some who pounded the Bible and railed against "sodomites." But, thankfully, a courageous federal judge ignored the haters and ordered this outstanding officer to be re-instated in the Air Force Reserve.
The shameful Obama Justice Dept., which had threatened to file an appeal to block the judge's ruling, decided it would be more politically prudent right now to "back off" and let Margaret retire after all.
Make no mistake about it. While she is grateful she can return to duty with her unit, Maj. Witt was philosophical about her status. She decided to take the settlement offer from DOJ and concentrate on her full-time job at the VA Hospital in Spokane, Wash. It was probably the best decision. But the Air Force Reserve is poorer for not having an excellent nurse like Margaret Witt in its ranks any more.
Golly, whoever heard of lesbians being vindictive? BTW, even sodomite publications admit that lesbian on lesbian “domestic” violence is off the charts in relation to normal folks.
I didn’t realize FreeRepublic was a venue to promote the homosexual agenda. D*mn, I learn something everyday here.
This is one reason why this policy was taken away and replaced with gays being able to be in the military. The dumb ex girlfriend is the one who outed her not the officer. First of all I don’t think that gays should be allowed to serve openly. However, I don’t believe they should be put out unless they themselves say they are gay or they are caught doing the deed. An ex girlfriend should not be able to ruin a career. It should take more than here say from a women scorned IMHO. Bottom line, this new policy will be a complete mess and will just going to get worse.
To my thinking, and in the spirit of the law of DADT, homosexual conduct was STILL prohibited. “Having” a girlfriend was homosexual conduct, and her “outing” was due to off-base conduct. So she did “tell” according to the law and ought to be discharged without benefits.
Why was this allowed to get a check for twenty years??
Why was this allowed to get a check for twenty years??
Yep. The USAF could've quietly squashed it. Instead, they made a huge case in their effort to end this woman's career, bringing a lot of bad press towards the DADT policy and public sympathy towards Witt. Her case was one of the last nails in the coffin of DADT.
Sure, DADT was likely headed for the dustbin at any rate but Witt's case sped up the process.
Clearly FR doesn’t promote it. I agree with your sentiments of zero tolerance but I think this case deserves some consideration due to extenuating and mitigating circumstances as explained in the article.
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