Happy birthday to Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach!

He’s sexy, he’s gay and he’s an American hero.

Today is retired Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach’s birthday I can’t tell you how much I admire and appreciate his nearly 20 years of service to our country. He flew 88 combat missions, 2,189 total flying hours, 1,487 fighter hours and 488 combat hours. He has received eight air medals, one for Heroism, and was hand-picked to protect the Washington, D.C. airspace after 9/11. He flew combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, targeting the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

His reward for his courage, his commitment and the his risking of his life? Having to keep his life as a gay man a secret – even from his family – and threat of discharge under the military’s discriminatory ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy.

We learned in 2009 that he was to be discharged under DADT – just two years short of his retirement.

He is one of the best examples why it was so wonderful to have this shameful policy officially repealed when President Barack Obama signed legislati0n passed by congress.

Ultimately, Feherenbach was allowed to retire from the U.S. Air Force with his full rank and his pension intact.

Happy birthday to a great man.