William T. Atkins
Major, U.S. Air Force (Retired)
I am a retired Air Force officer, a heterosexual male. I have been married more than 45 years to the same woman, with two children and some beautiful grandchildren. I believe my oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States requires me to fight for equal rights for all.
I finished infantry basic training just as the Battle of the Bulge broke out and was rushed over as a replacement in a combat outfit. I was a farm boy from East Texas and did not even know homosexuality existed.
"Spike," one of the best soldiers in my platoon, was openly harassed for being "queer" by two homophobic religious fanatics in our platoon from New England. He just ignored them, never denied his sexual orientation, just minded his own business. Everyone else just ignored it too and respected him for his courage and performance in combat. The attitude was: "So what if he's homosexual, he's a real soldier where it counts."
To make a long story short, Spike was a hero who died saving my life. My lifelong crusade for tolerance and equal rights is partial payback to Spike.