On 20th March 1991 I received the news I was waiting for.
Joining up on 2nd April, when I told my mum, she replied, “you can’t go in the Air Force, you’ve told me you’re gay”. I replied, “you told me it’s a phase I am going through”.
Although at the age of 19 and knowing I was gay, I didn’t want being gay to define me, why should it.
From the moment I walked on the base I loved it, however I also realised I was now having to live a double life. After training I was posted to RAF Chivenor in Devon.
When I was on the base I acted like one of the lads, getting off with the girls etc, putting on this front so nobody would suspect.
On 30th September 1992 there was an incident involving a Hawk aircraft, which crashed on the runway, I had tried to save a member of aircrew from the burning wreckage, with this I received the Royal Humane Society’s Bronze Award for bravery.
I then had various postings, Belize, Henlow, Ascension and Honnington, I received a Commander-In-Chiefs Commendation in the 1996 Queens Birthday Honours List.
In March 1997 I was informed that due to my exemplary service, and being specially recommended for promotion that I would be promoted to corporal.
On 15th April 1997 my service life came to a dramatic, life changing end. I was called into Personal Services Flight office and interviewed by OC PSF in the presence of 2 RAF Policemen and the Padre. I sat down and was asked if I had homosexual tendencies, I paused, they asked again. The fact I broke down in tears answered their question, but I did respond with yes. That split second, I had to accept me for being me and who I truly was.
I was informed that as a homosexual I was incompatible with service life and in normal circumstances I could go to military prison for 6 months. However, due to my exemplary service, my awards and the work that I had being carrying out with SSAFA they deemed it unnecessary. I was informed I was now suspended from duty forthwith pending an administrational discharge.
I couldn’t say goodbye to anybody, I was taken back to the accommodation bock, given 3 large boxes and told to pack everything up and it would be delivered to a UK address of my choice, I was then escorted off the base.
Within what seemed like minutes I had lost my home, a career which I had signed up for 12 years, family and friends just for being gay. I felt like a criminal and everything I had achieved in the 6 years of service was now worthless, I was a failure and had let everybody down.
During the 6 moths I was suspended I wrote to Tony Blair, my MP, Graham Stringer, and many others from MOD to challenge their reasoning, all to no avail.
