Countywide : Group to Host Rally for Gays in Military

The Orange County Federation, an organization of gay and lesbian groups, is hosting “an old-fashioned town hall rally” at UC Irvine tonight to protest the Pentagon’s opposition to gays in the military.

Ron Smeybe of Irvine, one of the rally organizers, said that he served with distinction in the Army in Vietnam, was named Soldier of the Month for his unit and “had no problem serving my country just because I was gay.”

Smeybe, a business consultant, said it was disconcerting to serve his two years in the military without letting anyone know that he was gay. He is a co-founder of the new Orange County chapter of the Gay/Lesbian Bisexual Veterans of America.

“We had our first meeting this week and 35 gay veterans showed up,” he said. “There are many more of us in the military than people realize.”

One of the speakers at tonight’s rally will be retired Army Maj. David McDowell, who lives in Orange County. He served for 20 years without his superiors knowing he was gay.

Several other gay veterans will also talk about their military service at the rally, Smeybe said.

The event will be held at the Student Center’s Emerald Bay room beginning at 8 p.m. It is part of a nationwide effort by gay rights groups this week to lobby in favor of President Clinton’s campaign pledge to end discrimination against gays in the military.