One of the six U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan Monday was the first openly lesbian active-duty U.S. servicemember to die in action. She was also a mom.
Air Force Major Adrianna Vorderbruggen and five other troops died when a suicide bomber on a motorbike hit their patrol. She leaves behind a spouse, Heather Lamb, and young son. Vorderbruggen was one of the first servicemembers to wed a same-sex spouse after the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell—which President Obama signed five years ago today.
She is not the first lesbian servicemember to die in action, just the first active-duty one and the first openly gay Air Force officer to do so. The Daily Beast reports, citing Department of Defense officials, that at least two lesbian National Guard members and an unknown number of lesbian servicemembers who were not out in the military have also been killed in action.
My deepest condolences to Vorderbruggen’s family and friends and to the family and friends of all those who died in the attack, several of whom were also parents.
May we all continue to work towards peace.