Today I had the esteem pleasure of sitting in on a White House conference call about the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT). Much is being said about who were the “key players” and how this got done, but in all honesty, it was President Obama who said he was going to repeal DADT and he kept his word.

As I sat to write this article, I thought about a Colonel who knew all too well the pain of revealing who she was and then being told after a decorated service to our country that her service was no longer needed because of her sexual orientation and her honesty.

I wasted no time in asking Colonel Grethe Cammermeyer her thoughts about today’s announcement to end DADT on September 22, 2011. No longer will our Gay and Lesbian Soldiers be asked to serve in silence.

[Charlene Strong:] What does today feel like for you?

[Colonel Cammermeyer:] It has been a 21-year struggle in my life.

Read Charlene Strong's full interview with Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer at The Seattle Lesbian.