OUTED: 'JD Smith', Co-Founder of Gay Military Group Outserve, Reveals Identity !

"JD Smith", the up-till-Tuesday anonymous co-founder of Outserve, the organization of actively serving LGBT servicemembers, has come out of the closet. The group's new issue of their magazine, which will be serviced to military bases internationally, profiles 101 gay and lesbian service members.

Says "Smith", now Josh Seefried, in an email received by Towleroad: 

Friends,

My name is Josh Seefried and I am a finance officer in the United States Air Force currently stationed in New Jersey. I am a First Lieutenant and I graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2009 with a B.S. in Economics.  I grew up in Longmont, Colorado.

I personally felt it was important to come out of the closet on Day 1 to show that sexual orientation in the military will truly be a nonissue. Overseas we have seen that some militaries still do not have people that feel comfortable coming out with their sexual orientation, even years after the policy has changed.  I hope that by coming out, along with the other military members who chose to come out publicly in the pages of our magazine, help to show our military was ready for this change.

I feel privileged and honored to serve during this time in our nation’s history. This change in policy has not only made our military stronger, but America stronger. I’m proud to serve in the United States Air Force and proud of the fact gay servicemembers can now do their job with their integrity intact.