JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
Prior to 1993, the policy of "don't ask, don't tell" was not in effect, but openly homosexual members in the armed forces still faced discrimination. One such individual was former Army Specialist Lisa Dickerson, a Bronx, New York native.
"Though small by comparison, the gay community in the military was large enough that we looked out for one another," said Dickerson, who served in the Army from 1988 to 1992 as a military police officer stationed in Hanau, Germany as part of the 127th MP Company.
Dickerson worked with and ran the Drug Suppression Team, a part of the Criminal Investigation Division. She also worked as part of numerous covert and overt missions with German police taking drugs off the streets.
Even with such an important job, her biggest challenge was keeping her sexuality a secret.
"I had the unpleasant experience of a witch hunt against me from a second lieutenant at the time because he suspected that I was gay," Dickerson said. "This lieutenant used to show up at my barracks just to see who I had in my room and anytime I asked for anything he would deny the request."
The discrimination did not end there.
"One time, we were out in the field for a 30-day training exercise in southern Germany," Dickerson said. "Toward the end of the exercise, I started to get sick. I don't like to quit, so I was determined to complete all my tasks to the best of my ability."
However, she knew something was wrong.
"I went to my sergeant and told him that I needed to go to the hospital. He went to this lieutenant and he said, 'Oh, she is just trying to just get out of the field early,'" Dickerson said. "Despite my pleas, I continued on with that day's move to our next location."
Her unit settled in at a school and her physical agony did not end.
"I was in such terrible pain that I could barely walk or sit down," Dickerson said. "That night, we slept on the floor at this facility and when we woke up that morning, it felt like I was having an out of body experience."
At this point, she stumbled up the stairs and outside the building, then collapsed in the snow.
"I woke up to my platoon sergeant carrying me back into the building," Dickerson said. "I don't know how long I was passed out in the snow, but he said that saved my life. I had a fever of at least 107 and being in the snow brought it down, so it could have been worse."
Her squad sergeant and platoon sergeant didn't wait for approval. They rushed her to the nearest hospital and she was admitted immediately.
Soon after, she was transported to the military hospital in Frankfurt.
"That evening a surgeon came to visit me," Dickerson said. "He asked me a couple of questions, did a quick exam then asked me if I had eaten yet. I responded no and he said, 'Prep her for emergency surgery.' As you can imagine, I was freaked out."
The doctor discovered she developed an abscess under the skin that grew to the size of a softball and could have burst and risked her life in the process. Despite the close call, she did make a full recovery.
"This all happened because of the hatred and discrimination of one man in power against me just because I was different and didn't conform to what he felt was normal, almost costing me my life," Dickerson said. "What I described was an extreme case, but I feel telling this story drives home some of the challenges we, as gay people, faced in the military back then."
Dickerson still believes that joining the military was the best thing she ever did and it helped shape her in to the person she is today.
"A lot of people in my platoon, if not all of them, knew I was a lesbian but they didn't care because I did my job as an MPO to the best of my ability," Dickerson said. "I knew the demands of the military would be high, but I like a good challenge. Even though it was a big transition leaving the military, I was ready for the next chapter in my life."
After leaving the military in 1992, she worked a number of security jobs until joining the federal government in 1994.
"I became a member of the Federal Protective Service in 1996 until 2007 where I worked my way up through the ranks from officer, to motor officer, to inspector, to K-9 officer, eventually becoming an area commander," Dickerson said. "In 2007, I left the Federal Protective Service to join the United States Mint where I am currently the chief of police for the DC Field Unit."
"I've faced many challenges just being a woman in law enforcement, being a lesbian as well didn't make it any easier," Dickerson said. "In spite of all this, I love what I do and wouldn't trade it for anything. Obstacles develop our character and show us just how tough we can really be."
(This is part two of three of an LGBT Spotlight series.)