“LGBTQIA+ military personnel serve in every part of the Armed Forces and at every level of command,” explained Lisa Reffner, Data & Registrar specialist and VA Educational Benefits School Certifying Official at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. “That’s why we are inviting three veterans and an active duty airman to campus in order to celebrate their diversity and share their journeys as LGBTQIA+ persons who have served our country with pride.”
Alexander “Red” Bittner, assistant director of Admissions, explained that since 2011, openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual men and women have been permitted to serve in the military. Acceptance for people who are LGBTQIA+ in the military expanded further with the lifting of the transgender ban in 2021. However, the road to acceptance has not been as simple as a policy change. As recently as 1982, military policy banned gay men and lesbians from the ranks; and 1993's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' while allowing military service, did so only if one served in silence.
Reffner and Bittner serve as co-chairs of Pitt-Greensburg’s Veterans Action Team and bring their military experience to their interactions with veteran students and military spouses and dependents enrolled on campus. Reffner is retired US Air Force and Bittner serves in the US Army Reserves.
“Serving With Pride” is sponsored by Pitt-Greensburg’s SITREP Green Zone Ally Program and is open to the public. It is planned in recognition of national “Coming Out Day,” which typically is designated as Oct. 11, and in celebration of Pitt-Greensburg’s own Loud and Proud Week. The program will begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, in Village Hall 118 and will feature the following panel:
Joe Acevedo – US Marine Corps Veteran & Pitt Veteran at the Oakland Campus
Michael Burke – US Air Force Veteran
Logan Ireland – Active Duty, US Air Force (Joining via Zoom Link from an active-duty station in Korea)
Samantha (Sam) Jeffries – US Army Veteran
Joseph Acevedo – US Marine Corps Veteran
Joseph Acevedo served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2011 through 2016. He is currently a second-year student at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. Acevedo is studying to receive his master’s of international development with concentrations in urban affairs and planning, as well as energy and environment. Originally from Florida, Joseph came to Pittsburgh in 2016 and holds a BA in Russian from the University of Pittsburgh. While in the Marine Corps, he held the rank of Corporal.
Michael Burke – US Air Force Veteran
Michael “Mike” Burke served in the United States Air Force for more than 17 years, leaving the military in 2007. Since 2016, he has been working as an Information Technology (IT) Program Manager for the US Department of Education and is responsible for overseeing IT projects hosted in the AWS cloud and data centers for Federal Student Aid (FSA). Burke manages a $250M IT program that supports over 50 applications that make student-loan processes operate as expected. Burke noted that he is passionate about veterans’ issues, continued education, problem-solving, critical thinking, equality, and customer service. Mike's hobbies include hiking, biking, traveling, and reading.
Logan Ireland – Active Duty, US Air Force
Technical Sergeant Logan Ireland is a Security Forces Airman currently stationed in Korea. He and his wife Laila, a soldier for 12 years prior to her medical retirement from the Army, were featured in a 2015 New York Times documentary, “Transgender at War and in Love.” Ireland’s military experience includes serving in Afghanistan in 2014, following his transition, where he was “just another guy.” Born female and enlisting as a woman in 2010, his experience includes serving during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era through the current Presidential Administration that has reversed the ban on transgender persons serving in the military implemented by the previous Presidential Administration. Ireland’s purpose in sharing his story is to inspire others to live their truth.
Samantha Jeffries – US Army Veteran
Samantha “Sam” Jeffries is a Pennsylvania Army National Guard veteran who served from 2005 through 2011 as a Supply Specialist for the 228TH BSB in Scranton, PA. While serving, Jeffries attended Keystone College and earned an associate of science degree before earning a bachelor’s of science degree in industrial/organizational psychology from Marywood University. She built her civilian career in supply chain and currently serves in procurement for locally-based grocery and convenience supplier Giant Eagle. As a queer-identifying woman veteran who welcomes all pronouns, Jeffries is intentional in challenging antiquated and toxic values found both in the workplace and society. Within each corporate role, she has led by example to advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equity. Jeffries described herself as a strategic relationship builder, a consciously unbiased leader, as well as an advocate for veterans and people who LGBTQIA+. Outside of work, Jeffries volunteers her time to LGBTQIA+ organizations, Black Lives Matter rallies and picking up trash at local parks and on neighborhood walks with their dog. She spends time advocating for mental health awareness and is an avid reader.