Following the lift of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Air Force intelligence officer Ginger Wallace will accept her Colonel rank decoration, added to her uniform by her partner of 11 years, Kathy Knopf, at an official “Pinning-On” ceremony at the Pentagon Friday.

Wallace spoke to the Washington Blade about her excitement to participate in the momentous ceremony with her partner, friends, and family.

“To be able to acknowledge and thank her is a big deal, and I’m just so thankful to be able to do it before I retire,” Wallace said. “There was one point where I thought I would retire before ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was repealed, so I never thought I’d see the day. So, I’m very thankful to be able to do it.”

Wallace served under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” throughout it’s reign from 1993 to it’s repeal in September, 2011, and said when DADT was repealed, it was "the biggest day" of her 21-year military career.

“It’s just nice after 11 years to be able to have it recognized and not dance around the issue any longer,” Knopf told the Blade of her inclusion in tomorrow’s ceremony. “So it’s wonderful for me to be able to play a small part and for both of us to acknowledge it instead of keeping it hidden after so long.”

Though soldiers were always able to choose whomever they like to bestow the military honor on them at a pinning ceremony, they could not explicity include a same-sex partner before now.

Read the complete article on WashingtonBlade.

Follow SheWired on Twitter!

Follow SheWired on Facebook!