In this post from SLDN’s Freedom to Serve blog, recently retired RADM Jaime Barnett declares his support for repealing Don’t ask, Don’t tell. His name is added to a growing list of heterosexual military retirees who think it’s time to make DADT history.
In lieu of a formal retirement ceremony, I would like to substitute this message as a virtual retirement. At the end of 32 years of Navy service, I feel very grateful.
I feel grateful to my beautiful, smart, intuitive, and patient wife, Celia, and to my incredible children, Owen and Elizabeth, for their energy and sacrifice in supporting my service and my absences from the home. And I appreciate the love and support of my extended family.
I feel grateful to my father, a very young Hellcat night fighter pilot in the Pacific during World War II and his soon-to-be Navy wife, my mother, for a safe, loving home. I know that they, and my two uncles who were Naval aviators, had a strong Navy influence on me.
I feel grateful to you and to all with whom I have served, all of my mentors. Surely the friendships and shared sea stories are the most abiding reward for Navy service, and the laughter and occasional absurdity makes the hardships, hard times and sacrifices bearable. I also have treasured the opportunity to do meaningful work to protect the Nation and to live out the patriot’s oath of ’supporting and defending the Constitution,’ something I believe in deeply.
As I leave uniformed service, I will continue to ‘support and defend the Constitution’ and its protection of individual rights, the right to be individual, to be different, which I think is the essence of being American. You may disagree with me (our American right!), but I hope that we see women assigned to submarines soon and an end to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
I will always be a Sailor.
Thank you for your friendship, from which I will not retire!
Best wishes,
Rear Admiral Jaime Barnett
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