For the first time, a delegation from
the California National Guard will take part in the Los Angeles Gay
Pride Parade on Sunday, June 9.
Major General David S. Baldwin and
Assembly Speaker John A. Perez, a Democrat, will lead the contingent,
Perez's office announced in a press release.
The California National Guard will also
have its first-ever recruiting booth at the Pride Festival following
the parade.
“The California National Guard is not
only accepting of members from the gay community, they are
enthusiastically recruiting from the gay community,” Perez said.
“When you have the Guard's top officer taking part in the
recruitment effort at L.A. Pride, that says a lot about the Guard and
their commitment to including and reflecting all the people they
serve.”
Baldwin, the Guard's adjutant general,
added: “We are a performance-based force, and one's sexual
orientation shouldn't affect their ability to serve and excel. Duty
to one's state and nation – not sexual orientation – is the
defining trait of our soldiers and airmen.”
The California National Guard will also
have a recruiting presence at Pride events throughout the state,
including Sacramento, San Francisco, San Diego and San Jose.