President Barack Obama on Tuesday appointed the first openly gay person to the U.S. Military Academy’s Board of Visitors, the the board that advises the President on matters relating to West Point.

Brenda Fulton

Former Capt. Brenda S. “Sue” Fulton, a founding board member of OutServe, an association of actively serving gay military personnel, is also co-founder and executive director of Knights Out, an organization of gay West Point graduates. She graduated in 1980 with the first West Point class to include women.

After receiving her commission, Fulton served in the Army Signal Corps for five years in Germany. She commanded a military intelligence company and was honorably discharged.

Fulton is the first openly gay member of the academy’s board.

Army Times

“I’m proud to have the opportunity to support the cadets who will lead our Army in the coming years,” Fulton said in a news release issued by OutServe. “And I’m pleased that the president is clearly setting the stage for a post-‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ military with appointments like this. It is my honor to continue to serve the Academy and the Army that I love.”

West Point’s Board of Visitors is comprised of nine members of Congress and six presidential appointees.

Tags: Barack Obama, Brenda Fulton, Military, U.S. Military Academy, West Point

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