Gay soldier killed in line of duty honored

The first gay soldier killed in the line of duty since the repeal of â┚¬Å”Don't Ask, Don't Tellâ┚¬Â was honored by The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Central Florida (The Center), Out and Proud Veterans of America (Out and Proud) and the city of Orlando.

The Center and Out and Proud hosted a flag-raising ceremony Aug. 1 in honor of Cpl. Andrew Charles Wilfahrt, 31, a Minnesota native who was killed in combat Feb. 27. Next month the flag will be presented to Wilfahrt's, parents Jeff and Lori, at an event honoring their son in South Florida.

â┚¬Å”All this attention is all very lovely and sort of surprising,â┚¬Â said Lori Wilfahrt, adding that they never expected Andrew's story to travel so far.

â┚¬Å”He was a gay man, and then he was a gay man in the military who was serving under â┚¬Ëœdon't ask, don't tell,' and then he was a military death,â┚¬Â she said. â┚¬Å”Maybe it changes some stereotypes people have about the military, the fact that he was accepted there, the fact that gay people do serve in the military, because I think some groups of people don't think about that, and that gay people also die in wars.â┚¬Â

In addition, City Commissioner Patty Sheehan has requested a proclamation declaring Aug. 2 â┚¬Å”Cpl. Andrew Charles Wilfahrt Dayâ┚¬Â in the City of Orlando.

â┚¬Å”I think it's important for people realize, with all the stereotypes about gay people, we are veterans, we are fighting for our country and giving our lives and we're patriotic,â┚¬Â Sheehan said. â┚¬Å”We really want to celebrate [Cpl. Wilfahrt's] life.â┚¬Â

The proclamation will be presented to his parents during an event in South Florida, and Sheehan said she's also working on getting a key to the city for the Wilfahrts.

Cpl. Wilfahrt's mother said their son's heroism has fueled her family for another fight.

â┚¬Å”Jeff and I and our family are going to try to honor him by fighting our Minnesota marriage amendment so that gets voted down in November of 2012,â┚¬Â she said.

It was decided in May to put an amendment on the state ballot that if approved, would define Minnesotan marriages as solely between a man and a woman.