An official website of the United States government         Here's how you know         
**Official websites use .mil**
A **.mil** website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
**Secure .mil websites use HTTPS**
 A **lock (lock )** or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Skip to main content (Press Enter).

Defense Logistics AgencyThe Nation's Combat Logistics Support Agency

Search
Search

Search

-  Home		 
-  What DLA Offers    -  Excess Property Disposal             
  -  Document Services             
  -  Products             
  -  Services             
  -  Programs 
-  Working With DLA    -  Applications             
  -  Small Business             
  -  Federal and International Cataloging             
  -  Defense Data Standards             
  -  Events             
  -  Procurement Policies             
  -  Government Programs             
  -  Forms 
-  Organizations    -  DLA Headquarters             
  -  DLA Aviation             
  -  DLA Disposition Services             
  -  DLA Distribution             
  -  DLA Energy             
  -  DLA Land and Maritime             
  -  DLA Troop Support             
  -  DLA CENTCOM & SOCOM             
  -  DLA Europe & Africa             
  -  DLA Indo-Pacific 
-  Customer Support    -  Self Help Tools             
  -  How to Order             
  -  Find Your Order             
  -  Customer Facing Offices             
  -  Training             
  -  Brochures             
  -  Warfighter Support             
  -  Customer Service Management 
-  Careers		 
-  About DLA    -  Contact Us             
  -  Locations             
  -  Leaders             
  -  News             
  -  History             
  -  Media Gallery             
  -  DLA Campaigns 

HomeAbout DLANewsNews Article View

PHOTO INFORMATION

** Download

** Details

** Share

PHOTO INFORMATION

** Download

** Details

** Share

PHOTO INFORMATION

** Download

** Details

** Share

PHOTO INFORMATION

** Download

** Details

** Share

# Pride Program offers personal perspective on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ era

By Stefanie HauckDLA Land and Maritime Public Affairs

                COLUMBUS, Ohio  –              
When Jason Guthrie was in the Navy, he thrived for the first time in his life, garnering many accolades, challenging assignments and promotions. But one moment brought his upward trajectory to a screeching halt, resulting in his discharge in 1996 after four years of service.

                Navy veteran Jason Guthrie, (center) delivered the keynote at Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month program June 5 at the DLA Land and Maritime Operations Center Auditorium on Defense Supply Center Columbus. (Photo by Arthur Hylton/DSCC)                            Pride Month observance                            Navy veteran Jason Guthrie, (center) delivered the keynote at Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month program June 5 at the DLA Land and Maritime Operations Center Auditorium on Defense Supply Center Columbus. (Photo by Arthur Hylton/DSCC)            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Arthur Hylton/DSCCVIRIN: 240605-D-DM952-3516

Guthrie, who served during the “don’t ask, don’t tell” era, spoke about his experiences as a gay man trying to find his way in an unaccepting world, during the 2024 Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month program June 5 at the DLA Land and Maritime Operations Center Auditorium on Defense Supply Center Columbus.

This year’s theme was “Honor Bound,” which speaks to the thousands of service members who were affected by the legislation.

“Don’t ask, don’t tell” stipulated that gay service members were not required to disclose their sexual orientation, but could still be dishonorably discharged if they were discovered to be gay.  Thousands of service members – including Guthrie - were drummed out of the service under the law until its repeal in late 2010.

“Our history is part of our journey, and it does inform who we are,” said DLA Land and Maritime Commander Army Brig. Gen. Gail Atkins. “And Jason did not have an easy road. He served this nation with honor and integrity. And at that time, we [the military] did not treat him with the respect he deserved.”

Guthrie said he struggled with his identity growing up, knowing he was different than most other kids, but was not sure in what way.

It took being in the Navy for him to realize he was gay. With a year of college under his belt, he enlisted in 1992, changing the trajectory of his life forever.

“I thought that this would be the way I could get out of Ohio and at least have a clear path to follow,” he said. “And the military certainly provided me with that structure and focus.”

His early interactions with other closeted gay military members around him, eventually led to his acceptance that he was gay at a time when “don’t ask, don’t tell” was the new law of the land.

Guthrie said at the time it all seemed so straight forward.

“You don’t ask me, I don’t tell you,” he said about the law. “It seemed to make perfect sense to me but many of my fellow closeted service members did not agree with that compromise. So, we all did the best we could to live our lives and pursue our military careers.”

He focused on his work and was determined to be the best sailor that he could be. And by keeping social distractions to a minimum, he thrived in his early Navy career being promoted often and receiving many awards while working in strategy and policy for the chief of Naval Operations at the the Pentagon.

“I earned a command advancement to the next rank [twice], earned two Navy Achievement Medals and had a great working relationship with those around me, he said. “My efforts were highly regarded.”

After a tour in Bahrain, where he worked as an awards writer for the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, he arrived at his last duty station in 1996 at a low point after ending his first serious relationship prior to rotating back to the United States.

“I was in the U.S. military and in the closet,” he said, “I knew I would need to transfer again, and he would not be able to join me.”

What would be his last assignment was challenging for him in many ways. He had a roommate again after living independently for a while, and the people he worked with resented his rapid rise in rank and his previous ‘cushy’ assignments.

“I was in a low mental state and had a hard time connecting with people,” he said. 

This is where he said he made the biggest mistake of his military life by inviting someone into his room while his roommate was away at work.

He thought it would be OK to do so because his roommate who was a flight mechanic was on a different shift. However, his roommate did show up while he had that individual in his room.

“That’s when I heard a sound I’ll never forget. A key entering the door lock,” Guthrie said.

His roommate did not say a word, went about his business and left while Guthrie and the individual were hiding under the bed covers.

“I went to work the next day thanking God I dodged that bullet,” he said, “But my relief was soon replaced with fear when I was called into the command master chief’s office a few days later.”

That conversation revolved around working out the issue with his roommate, but the impasse was so great it was reported to the unit’s legal office, resulting in several rounds of questioning until Guthrie admitted that there was another man in his room and that he was gay.  

The next four months were torturous for Guthrie, while he went through the process of getting discharged from the Navy.

“From when I told, to when I left the Navy,” he said, “I knew who my real shipmates were and who my fair weather friends were.”

He said the Navy assured me that it wasn’t a trial, but it felt like one, nonetheless.  

“I immediately felt branded much like the character in the book the *Scarlet Letter,”*he recalled*. “*I was always wondering who knew about me being gay, as I was still expected to show up each day and do my work.”

He received a general discharge under honorable conditions with a RE4 code banning him from any future military service.

Before the repeal, openly gay service members who were given an "other than honorable" discharge from the military were effectively blocked from veterans benefits like access to medical care, financial compensation, a debt-free college education and were not allowed to reenlist in the military later.

Like many others, he was able to work with the Department of Veterans Affairs to get that changed to honorable in 2022.

“I’m disappointed in how you were treated in the 1990s,” Atkins told Guthrie, “But I am very proud to say, you will always be a part of our team.”

After his service in the Navy, Guthrie went on to complete a bachelor of science in computer information systems and worked as a programmer before pivoting to a more fulfilling career in fine arts, working as a mascot and costume designer.

“The best takeaway I have at this point in my life is to honor my truth,” he said. “Avoiding my truth has landed me in thorny mental patches and has caused me to struggle often.”

“By telling my story today and admitting that it is still a painful thing, is the best thing that I can do,” he added.

At the end of the program, Guthrie lifted up his voice in song, giving the audience a taste of his repertoire gleaned from being a longtime member of the Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus.

DLA Land and Maritime Product Specialist Lakeisha Glenn served as Mistress of Ceremonies, Army veteran and guest singer Mark Cooke rendered the National Anthem, DLA Land and Maritime Contract Specialist Scott Humphrey delivered the invocation and Supervisory Procurement Analyst and LGBTQ Executive Champion Julie Van Shaik delivered the closing remarks.

The event was sponsored by the LGBTQ Special Emphasis Program and the DLA Land and Maritime Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity.

The LGBTQ SEP meetings are open to anyone who works at DSCC. Find out when the next meeting is scheduled by contacting Humphrey via email at Robert.Humphrey@dla.mil.

To learn more about Guthrie’s experiences, view the event livestream here (CAC-enabled).

                Navy veteran Jason Guthrie, (center, right) delivered the keynote at Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month program June 5 at the DLA Land and Maritime Operations Center Auditorium on Defense Supply Center Columbus. This year's theme was “Honor Bound.” From left: DLA Land and Maritime Supplier Operations Research and Analysis Branch Chief Jiwon Han, Supervisory Procurement Analyst Julie Van Shaik, Contract Specialist Scott Humphrey, Humphrey’s partner Mark Cooke, DLA Land and Maritime Commander Army Brig. Gen. Gail Atkins, Guthrie, Guthrie’s partner Rich Alonso, Supervisory Equal Employment Specialist Christa Boydston, Product Specialist Lakeisha Glenn and Contract Specialist Caitlin Ferry. Humphrey delivered the invocation, Cooke delivered the National Anthem, Atkins delivered the opening remarks, Van Shaik serves as LGBTQ executive champion and Glenn served as the event’s mistress of ceremonies. Han, Humphrey, Glenn and Ferry all serve on the LGTBQ Special Emphasis Program Committee. (Photo by Arthur Hylton/DSCC)                            Pride Month observance                            Navy veteran Jason Guthrie, (center, right) delivered the keynote at Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month program June 5 at the DLA Land and Maritime Operations Center Auditorium on Defense Supply Center Columbus. This year's theme was “Honor Bound.” From left: DLA Land and Maritime Supplier Operations Research and Analysis Branch Chief Jiwon Han, Supervisory Procurement Analyst Julie Van Shaik, Contract Specialist Scott Humphrey, Humphrey’s partner Mark Cooke, DLA Land and Maritime Commander Army Brig. Gen. Gail Atkins, Guthrie, Guthrie’s partner Rich Alonso, Supervisory Equal Employment Specialist Christa Boydston, Product Specialist Lakeisha Glenn and Contract Specialist Caitlin Ferry. Humphrey delivered the invocation, Cooke delivered the National Anthem, Atkins delivered the opening remarks, Van Shaik serves as LGBTQ executive champion and Glenn served as the event’s mistress of ceremonies. Han, Humphrey, Glenn and Ferry all serve on the LGTBQ Special Emphasis Program Committee. (Photo by Arthur Hylton/DSCC)            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Arthur Hylton/DSCCVIRIN: 240605-D-DM952-3554

**                    SHARE                

**                    PRINT                

People & Culture L&MPride Month observanceLGBTQ awarenessJason GuthrieColumbus Gay Men's ChorusDon't Ask Don't TellCulture L&M