Since being established in 1964, the John Jay College of Criminal Justice has been home to thousands of veterans and active-duty personnel pursuing higher education. John Jay’s Office of Military and Veteran Services supports military veterans, active-duty service members, and their family members with vibrant and relevant veteran-focused programs and assistance. The student-led John Jay Veterans Association initiated celebrations throughout the year for Hispanic/Latinx Military Heritage, African American Military Heritage, Women’s Military Heritage, and Asian-Pacific Islander Military Heritage.

John Jay’s Veterans Association announced the inaugural LGBTQ+ Military Heritage Celebration would be hosted on Monday, April 11th at the student veteran center in Manhattan. The LGBTQ+ Military Heritage Celebration presented a series of guest speakers who highlighted the contributions of LGBTQ+ service members, past & present, with current John Jay student veterans. Public Finance Associate, James Fitzgerald, was invited to provide the keynote address for the celebration event. He spoke about his experiences while serving in the US Army during “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and expressed how proud he remains being a veteran & openly LGBTQ.