First gay union held on U.S. military base

Jeff Sheng

Will Behrens, 35, and Erwynn Umali, 34, hold a civil union ceremony at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey. Umali is an active serviceman in the U.S. Air Force.

When Tech. Sgt. Erwynn Umali and civilian Will Behrens wanted to seal their commitment in a civil union in New Jersey, they chose a venue that nine months ago would have been unthinkable: a military base.

The grooms said their vows on June 23 before 150 guests at the chapel at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst ? the first time a civil union or gay wedding has been held in such a facility in the United States.

While the couple says there?s still a larger battle to be won before they can live in true domestic bliss, they hope the significance of that ceremony will not be lost on others in the military who want to live openly.

?It?s a struggle that Will and I have gone through and so many people are going through,? Umali, an active-duty serviceman in the Air Force, told the Daily News on Wednesday. ?Now I can introduce Will as my partner or my husband instead of my friend or my boyfriend. We don?t have to live in fear.?

Jeff Sheng

Entrance to the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, 18 miles south of Trenton.

The U.S. military ended its 18-year-long ?don?t ask, don?t tell? policy last September, allowing homosexuals to serve openly without the possibility of getting discharged.

Civil unions have been allowed in New Jersey since 2007. Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a bill in February that would have went a step further, making same-sex marriages legal.

Umali, 34, and Behrens, 35, still wanted a wedding for their civil union. The ceremony was captured by Jeff Sheng, a Los Angeles photographer who did a series on closeted service members.

He told The News that he met the couple through the project, and when they decided to get hitched, they wanted a photographer they could trust.

?I never shoot weddings,? Sheng said. ?But historically, this was important, and it was significant on a personal level as well.?

Jeff Sheng

Behrens (r) kisses Umali (l) on the forehead at a side room in the chapel before the wedding.

Umali said coming out to his squadron wasn?t a problem for him, and when he introduced Behrens as his fiance, people applauded.

?Prior to doing all this, we were nervous,? said Behrens, who works in the financial industry. ?We talked about losing our families, and there are plenty of people we know who are living a hidden relationship and they?re worried that their family will disown them.?

At their wedding last month, Umali wore his Air Force uniform, Behrens dressed in a tux.

Navy Chaplain Kay Reeb, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, officiated the union.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nydnrss/news/~3/dv2sW3J20Zc/story01.htm

wizard of oz jeff green saturday night live aortic aneurysm minnesota timberwolves jr martinez melasma