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Operation: Do Ask, Do Tell
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Media Contact: Beth Campus |
| Octoboer 8, 2012 |
(773) 442-4240
b-campus@neiu.edu |
"Operation: Do Ask, Do Tell" Conference to be Held at Northeastern Illinois University
"Operation: Do Ask, Do Tell" is underway in the Chicago area, with a conference and appreciation reception for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) military veterans. The conference will be held Oct. 20 at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU), which has been named a Military Friendly School by GI Jobs for the second year in a row.
The conference will be held on NEIU's main campus, 5500 St. Louis Ave., in the Student Union from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Department of Veterans Affairs experts will discuss subjects specific to LGBT veterans including transgender healthcare in the VA, mental health needs of LGBT veterans, women's health and veterans benefits. Lee Reinhart, the first Illinois man to re‐enlist after being discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" will be the keynote speaker. The day will end with a reception honoring LGBT service members.
"'Operation: Do Ask, Do Tell' is the first event in the Chicago area that honors LGBT veterans for their service and addresses their specific healthcare and social needs," said Cynthia Rathunde, veterans services coordinator at Northeastern Illinois University. "We are thrilled to be the first to reach out to this group of veterans and thank them for their service to our country."
The conference is sponsored by Northeastern Illinois University, American Veterans for Equal Rights and the three area VA healthcare facilities: Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center and the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.
For more information about "Operation: Do Ask, Do Tell" call Lorry Luscri at (708) 202‐8387 ext. 21228 or Mandi Evanson at (708) 202‐7875.
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