iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 27/09/2026

We’re grateful to @chriswardca.bsky.social , @governor.ca.gov, Senator Shannon Grove, Minority Veterans of America, @spartapride.bsky.social, IAVA, Equality California, the @chamberlainvets.bsky.social, and everyone who helped carry this across the finish line.

120

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 27/09/2026

AB 1775 is now law. In June, we stood together in San Diego around a simple principle: no veteran left behind. Now California is delivering, helping transgender veterans come home with support for housing, health care, employment, and the transition to civilian life.

Photo of June 5 press conference at the San Diego LGBT center in front of the LGBT veterans wall of honor, with Assemblymember Chris War, a white gay man with glasses, a blue shirt, and a gray blazer, speaking at a podium

130

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 24/09/2026

ONS CEO Lucas Schleusener and former Under Secretary of the Army Patrick J. Murphy write about what changed after repeal, and what LGBTQ veterans are helping build now: patrickmurphypa.substack.com/p/fifteen-ye...

patrickmurphypa.substack.com

Fifteen Years After ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ LGBTQ Veterans Are Making America Proud

The fight to serve openly was only the beginning. Today, LGBTQ veterans are helping lead the country they once had to serve in silence

063

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 24/09/2026

Those veterans are showing up in city halls, legislatures and communities across the country, bringing with them the relationships, credibility and responsibilities that come with military service. The political question can change because the human relationship has already changed.

160

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 24/09/2026

Fifteen years after the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” we can see a legacy that was harder to recognize in 2011. Repeal did more than allow LGBTQ Americans to serve openly. It created a generation of LGBTQ veterans carrying their service into civic life.

1143

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 24/09/2026

Huge congratulations to our CEO Luke Schleusener on joining the prestigious @obamafoundation Leaders Program! We are glad the rest of the cohort is about to learn what this community already knows. Official profile: www.obama.org/programs/lea...

050

Reposted by Out In National Security

The Obama Foundation @obamafoundation.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Today we are welcoming 50 visionaries joining the Obama Foundation USA Leaders cohort this year—in government, business, and civil society—all with a shared commitment of creating positive, sustainable change in their communities, regions and around the world.

29721

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 23/09/2026

National LGBTQ+ Servicemembers and Veterans Day honors that service and sacrifice, recognizes the costs of exclusion, and affirms that everyone who raises their hand to serve deserves dignity, respect, and the benefits they have earned." -Lucas F. Schleusener

010

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 23/09/2026

“LGBTQ+ Americans have served our country from the founding of the Republic, including during decades when their government asked for their service while denying them equal treatment.

110

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 22/09/2026

For LGBTQ+ Veterans Day, ONS CEO Luke Schleusener joined @annadeshawn.bsky.social on Queer News alongside @spartapride.bsky.social ’s Nick Wright to talk about AB 1775 in California, growing efforts across the country, and how we can better support LGBTQ+ veterans. www.youtube.com/live/GAl7U0M...

youtube.com

Celebrating LGBTQIA+ Veterans Day

YouTube video by Queer News

020

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 20/09/2026

We're looking forward to seeing folks this afternoon from 2:00-4:00 PM at the NY LGBT Community Center, in partnership with @equalitynewyork.bsky.social, @spartapride.bsky.social, @formergov.bsky.social, and many others!

010

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 20/09/2026

That is part of the enduring legacy of DADT repeal. LGBTQ Americans can now carry their service openly into civic life. ONS CEO Lucas Schleusener writes about what LGBTQ veterans are building after coming home, in the Washington Blade: www.washingtonblade.com/2026/09/20/w...

washingtonblade.com

What LGBTQ veterans are building after ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

DADT repeal took effect on Sept. 20, 2011. Trans servicemember ban reinstated

000

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 20/09/2026

Military service creates relationships that can be difficult to reduce to political abstractions. A veteran is also a neighbor, a constituent, a former commander, a colleague. The political question can change because the human relationship has already changed.

110

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 20/09/2026

In California, a Republican Marine veteran began a legislative hearing with questions about transgender military service. After hearing from veterans, he was asking: “How can I help? How can I understand? How can I be a good advocate?”

100

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 20/09/2026

In Anchorage this month, an LGBTQ Army veteran asked his city to recognize LGBTQ Veterans Day. His former commander stood beside him. A Vietnam-era veteran asked that younger Americans receive the same opportunity to serve that she had. The city said yes. www.youtube.com/watch?is=Vjd...

youtube.com

Anchorage Assembly declares Sept. 20 LGBTQ Veterans Day

YouTube video by Andrew Gray

120

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 20/09/2026

Fifteen years ago today, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ended. We usually remember repeal for what LGBTQ Americans gained: the ability to serve openly. But its legacy is also visible in what LGBTQ veterans can build after coming home.

130

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 17/09/2026

The Constitution we mark today is both the work of 1787 and the work of Americans across more than 200 years. On Constitution Day, we wrote about public service, equal citizenship, and our common responsibility for what comes next. www.outinnationalsecurity.org/2026/09/17/o...

outinnationalsecurity.org

Our Common Responsibility: Constitution Day, 2026

On Constitution Day, we remember not only those who wrote the Constitution, but those who changed it, widened the meaning of citizenship, and carried its responsibilities forward.

011

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 15/09/2026

Fifteen years after "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," there’s a lot worth remembering and more work ahead. This Sunday in NYC, ONS is bringing together LGBTQ veterans, allies, and partners to connect, reflect, and share resources.

“Event flyer for ‘Generations of Service,’ an LGBTQ+ Veterans Day gathering in New York City on Sunday, September 20, from 2–4 PM at The Center, 208 West 13th Street. The event features a panel discussion and resource fair bringing together LGBTQ+ veterans, allies, and community organizations. Logos for Out in National Security and partner organizations appear along the bottom.”

040

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 09/09/2026

Veterans organize. LGBTQIA+ communities gather with them. Friends, commanders, and neighbors join them. Together, they widen the circle of memory and obligation. This is how we come to recognize our country in each other.

020

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 09/09/2026

The forms differ. The places vary. The obligation does not. Military service is federal. Homecoming is local. Recognition opens the road to obligation.

110

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 09/09/2026

A few months later, State Sen. Shannon Grove said of servicemembers being forced out: “They make you go through almost six months of training to get in the military, and they give you two days to get out.” The California Senate voted 32–0. calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/279...

calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org

Senate Floor August 24, 2026 | Digital Democracy

Digital Democracy overview of Senate Floor August 24, 2026 hearing.

110

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 09/09/2026

Marine veteran and Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez began with the questions he knew from military life: Could someone do the job? Carry the pack? Have your side when it mattered? Before the hearing ended, he asked: “How can I help? How can I understand? How can I be a good advocate?”

110

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 09/09/2026

In California, trans servicemembers testified about what abrupt separation could mean after years of service: fewer job prospects, financial instability, possible homelessness, and risks to security clearances and civilian employment. calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/278...

calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org

Assembly Standing Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs March 24, 2026 | Digital Democracy

Digital Democracy overview of Assembly Standing Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs March 24, 2026 hearing.

110

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 09/09/2026

Then Denise Sudbeck, a trans Vietnam-era Navy veteran, stepped forward. She asked that servicemembers ten and twenty years from now have “the same privilege of serving as I did.” The Anchorage Assembly recognized September 20 as LGBTQ Veterans Day.

110

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 09/09/2026

Mike Grunst, a 35-year veteran, said LGBTQ troops forced to hide who they were “are the bravest I have ever served with.” www.youtube.com/watch?is=Vjd...

youtube.com

Anchorage Assembly declares Sept. 20 LGBTQ Veterans Day

YouTube video by Andrew Gray

110

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 09/09/2026

In Anchorage, Alaska State Rep. Andrew Gray appeared before the Assembly with his former commander. Gray: “We’ve only served openly in America for the past 15 years.”

110

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 09/09/2026

Fifteen years after the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” LGBT veterans are speaking openly in the civic spaces where communities decide whom they remember and what they owe. Our new essay for LGBT Veterans Day 2026: We Gather Together: www.outinnationalsecurity.org/2026/09/09/w...

A black-and-white photo of a multiracial crowd with one member waving an American Flag.

V-J Day Crowd by Liggett's Drug Store, Times Square, 1945. Getty.

162

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 08/09/2026

We’re kicking off the fall with an Out in National Security Welcome Back Happy Hour tomorrow! 🍻 Come reconnect with friends, meet some new people, and bring someone who should know the ONS community. Everyone’s welcome! RSVP here and we'll see you here. partiful.com/e/rmzG0YDTdg...

partiful.com

RSVP to Welcome Back Happy Hour | Partiful

Fall fills up fast: back-to-school season, legislative calendars, travel, work deadlines, and everything else that seems to restart at once. Before the end-of-year sprint begins, join ONS, PFS, and o...

021

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 07/09/2026

Historian Alex Ketchum is also placing High Tech Gays in the larger history of LGBTQ cyber activism: storytelling.concordia.ca/alex-ketchum/

storytelling.concordia.ca

Alex Ketchum – COHDS

020

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 07/09/2026

The larger argument is simple: democratic habits inside institutions that serve a democratic public can make those institutions more capable, resilient, and effective.

120

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 07/09/2026

From Madeleine Tress and Frank Kameny to High Tech Gays, glifaa, and CIA’s ANGLE, the pattern repeats: association can turn individual experience into shared knowledge, accountability, and change.

120

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 07/09/2026

On Labor Day, we looked at a part of LGBTQ history that is also national security history: what happened when queer employees found one another, compared experiences, and organized inside the institutions they served. www.outinnationalsecurity.org/2026/09/07/w...

High Tech Gays at a California Pride Festival, late 1980s.

121

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 31/08/2026

CEO Lucas Schleusener joined Alaska Rep. @andrewgrayak.bsky.social on the East Anchorage Book Club to talk about the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the history behind LGBTQ Veterans Day, and what it means to ensure LGBTQ Americans can serve their country Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...

podcasts.apple.com

Lucas Schleusener: CEO of Out in National Security (ONS) on establishing LGBTQ Veterans Day in Anchorage

Podcast Episode · East Anchorage Book Club with Andrew Gray · August 31 · 46m

010

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 31/08/2026

Army Cyber Command estimated that retaining an advanced cyber operator for six years cost $92,000. Replacing one cost about $400,000. A vacancy can be created overnight. Experience cannot.

0154

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 31/08/2026

The Pentagon says recruiting is hard, retention matters, and trained personnel are expensive to replace. So what readiness gain comes from accelerating the discharge of transgender servicemembers already trained and serving? Our new analysis www.outinnationalsecurity.org/2026/08/31/t...

Graphic reading "Qualified to Serve, Rushed Out"

1111

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 27/08/2026

DoD says unwanted sexual contact fell in FY25. But the public can no longer tell whether LGBTQIA+ servicemembers shared in that progress. That’s the transparency gap we’re flagging today: www.outinnationalsecurity.org/2026/08/27/d...

010

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 18/08/2026

The CIA trained @juliacurlee.bsky.social, a 2026 ONS Fellow, to tell hard truths. Then it taught her to become invisible. When public servants must choose between integrity, family, and service, institutions lose the expertise the nation’s security depends on. Read her essay in @theatlantic.com

"The Wrong Kind of American"

"I'd weighed my family's health insurance against two sentences of solidarity and chosen to surrender my integrity.

The agency that had taught me to tell hard truths was now teaching me to be invisible.

It was time to go."

Julia Curlee
2026 ONS Fellow
"The Wrong Kind of American" I "The Atlantic"

011

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 12/08/2026

Our co-founder Luke Schleusener joined Anna DeShawn on Queer News to talk about the NDAA and how ONS and our partners are fighting back against the Trump Administration on behalf of LGBTQIA+ servicemembers and our community. Listen to the full episode here: shorturl.at/wpDBj

040

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 07/08/2026

On Purple Heart Day, we honor the servicemembers wounded in defense of our country, including LGBTQIA+ veterans whose courage and sacrifice have too often gone unrecognized. Their service is part of our national story. We remain committed to honoring the contract our country made with them.

020

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 07/08/2026

LT Jezel Huston reflected on the 236th birthday of the Coast Guard this week, a service that is "people forward" with a long history of attracting diverse talent including from the LGBTQIA+ community. Jezel is also the Chief of Staff for ONS. The Coast Guard traces its founding to Aug. 4, 1790

000

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 30/07/2026

@repmarktakano.bsky.social pledged to defend LGBTQ+ veterans’ access to competent care. Effective oversight should begin with a simple question: will the VA demonstrate with EVIDENCE that the functions performed by this network truly remain available to LGBTQIA+ veterans ? (5/5)

takano.house.gov

LGBTQ+ | U.S. Congressman Mark Takano of California's 39th District

The Official U.S. House website of Congressman Mark Takano of California District 39

000

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 30/07/2026

But July guidance goes further. Reporting by @theadvocatebr.bsky.social describes VA ending monthly coordinator calls, regional leadership calls, new-coordinator orientations, and the program's Community of Practice. Teams channels and SharePoint resources are being archived (3/5)

advocate.com

Trump ends care network for LGBTQ+ veterans, internal email shows. Providers condemn 'cruel erasure'

The nationwide rollback ends specialized calls, training, and shared resources while leaving other population-specific programs intact.

100

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 30/07/2026

June 12: a VHA memo directed facilities to eliminate initiatives based on gender identity and redesignate LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinators as general Care Coordinators. Read alone, it looked like a rename. Staff reportedly expected core duties to continue. (2/5)

militarytimes.com

VA eliminates gender-identity initiatives, reclassifies LGBTQ+ care coordinators

The VA is eliminating all activity geared toward veterans’ gender identities and reclassifying its LGBTQ+ care coordinators, an internal memo says.

100

Out In National Security @outinnationalsecurity.org · 30/07/2026

LGBTQIA+ veterans are still eligible for VA care. But the system built to help them use it is being taken apart. New ONS analysis on what the record actually shows and what to do next. 🧵 1/5

outinnationalsecurity.org

The Future of LGBTQIA+ Health Care at the Department of Veterans Affairs

Merging activism and education in the LGBTQIA+ security professional space.

111