COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—A sign gays may be inching closer to acceptance in the military: the U.S. Air Force Academy is welcoming its first openly gay member of its oversight board.
Democratic Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado was appointed earlier this month to the Academy’s Board of Visitors, which meets Friday and Saturday in Colorado Springs.
The Board of Visitors is made up mostly of members of Congress who review the nation’s service academies and suggest changes to the Pentagon and Congress.
Polis was appointed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. They both oppose the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on gay and lesbian servicemembers. Polis says he doesn’t plan to use the Board appointment to drive change at the Air Force, but believes the policy will “end shortly.”
