My brother, Jim, rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy, serving as a medical officer to the Marines. After graduating from medical school, he was stationed at Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton. He loved the military and often said that if it had been more accepting of gay men, he would have made it his career. Instead, he was forced to hide who he was to do what he loved most—serve his country. Ultimately, he chose not to re-enlist, weary of living without the freedom to be honest about himself. I’m grateful that times have changed, though I wish he were here to see it.

I couldn’t locate the photo of Jim in his dress uniform—he always wore it proudly for formal occasions—but I did find this one: Jim standing on the wing of his plane before taking off from Texas to New Orleans with our mother as his passenger, sometime around 1993.

Veterans Day honors all those who have been willing to put themselves in harm’s way to keep our nation safe. I am deeply proud of Jim’s service and of his unwavering love for his country.