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Iraq War Veteran to Present "Ask and Tell"

Posted on Thursday, April 1, 2010

Rob Smith, an Iraq War veteran, who will speak on "Ask and Tell" Thursday, April 15, at 7 p.m. in the Witherspoon Maple Room of Westminster College's McKelvey Campus Center. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Smith joined the U.S. Army as an infantryman at 17. By 21, he was a war veteran who had struggled to come to terms with being gay in secret because of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. After an honorable discharge, he is able to tell the story of his life as a gay soldier.

During his enlistment, Smith was deployed to Kuwait and Iraq and earned the Army's Commendation Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge.

Smith has published articles about his military experience and other gay political issues. He is featured in the Faces of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, an initiative of Servicemembers United to put a human face on the issue, and is at work on a memoir detailing his experiences.

Smith's appearance is supported by Westminster's Allies, Sociology Interest Group, Department of Political Science and Sociology, Student Government Association, and Diversity Symposium.

Contact Kristenne Robison, Westminster instructor of sociology, at (724) 946-6033 or e-mail robisokm@westminster.edu for more information about the presentation. Visit www.robsmithonline.com for additional information about Rob Smith and his work.