First Openly Gay Army Secretary Honors Orlando Victims and Heroes at Pride Event

— -- Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning, the top civilian leader of the military branch and the first to serve in that position as an open member of the gay community, delivered a heart-felt speech today at the U.S. Department of State's LGBT Pride event in Washington, D.C.

Fanning spoke about the attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando last week, saying it was hard to celebrate the gains made in his community in wake of that incident.

He mentioned former Army Specialist Angle Candelariro-Padro and Army Reservist Capt. Tony Brown, both killed in the mass shooting that left 49 dead. He also honored Imran Yousuf, a young Marine Corp veteran credited with saving many lives that night.

"As horrific as this attack was, it wasn’t an attack on Orlando, it wasn’t an attack on the LGBT community, it was an attack on America," Fanning said. "And our nation has come together, as one, to mourn those we lost, to help those who survived, and to comfort those left behind."

It was Fanning's first major speech on LGBT issues since assuming his historic role the as 22nd Secretary of the Army just one month ago.

Fanning said his own career path once seemed unlikely.

"When I first started working in the Pentagon -- an idealistic, 24-year-old junior aide -- I realized that I had to leave because I saw no future for me as an openly gay man," Fanning told onlookers at the event. "But I did come back, and I have had some great jobs and incredible opportunities that less than a generation ago, would simply not be available to me or, frankly, to most of you."

Fanning even suggested the rainbow symbol for the gay community could have been inspired by a former soldier's time in the Army. Its creator, Private Gilbert Baker, had been asked to come up with a design by gay rights leader Harvey Milk while living in San Francisco and after having been honorably discharged from the Army, Fanning said.

"I can’t say for certain whether his time in the Army at all inspired the creativity behind this iconic symbol, but the rainbow has been part of our heraldry for nearly a century," Fanning said, pointing to Gen. Douglas MacArthur's idea to create a National Guard group that would “stretch over the whole country like a rainbow.” The 42nd Infantry Division then used a rainbow as its symbol, found on its unit's flags and patches.

"The military is more powerful when the American people know that no matter what their background, religious beliefs, political views, sexual orientation, or gender identity, we serve and sacrifice on their behalf -- on behalf of this country we all love in order to protect all of our freedoms," Fanning said.