Gay soldier
discharged at his own request
after being assaulted
By Kelly Kennedy,
ArmyTimes.com from the Web January 10, 2006
Fort Huachuca, Ariz. Jan. 9 --
A soldier who contends he was assaulted in October by a fellow soldier because
he is gay was discharged at his own request, The Arizona Daily Star reported.
Pfc. Kyle Lawson’s case became a cause célèbre in gay publications because the
Army did not prosecute the soldier who punched him in the face at an off-base
party on Oct. 29.
Civilian police booked the soldier on felony aggravated assault charges, calling
the punch that broke Lawson’s nose “unprovoked.” However, police records
offered differing views about what happened at the party: Lawson said he
was punched after another soldier learned Lawson was gay. The other
soldier said Lawson made sexual remarks to him.
In either case, Steve Ralls of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network said the
attack was inappropriate and should have been prosecuted.
But the Army requested the case be turned over to it and then declined to
prosecute, instead choosing administrative action. Details of that action
could not be released due to federal privacy laws, a Fort Huachuca spokeswoman
said.
Lawson said Jan. 5 that he was torn at the decision to leave the Army just four
months out of boot camp.
“It’s bittersweet,” Lawson said.
“On one hand, it will be better for me because I can be who I am. But I’m
going to miss it a lot. I really loved it.”
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