We all know there has always been a “gay network” on Capitol Hill and in the White House, regardless of whether there is a Republican or Democratic at the head of the administration.

In fact, there is a “gay network” everywhere we are: in the entertainment industry, the media and in the military. We are and always have been everywhere.

In the early morning of Tuesday, June 30, the body of 29-year-old gay sailor, Seaman August Provost, was found in a guard shack at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside. Soon after the 3 a.m. discovery, the “gay network” on base began reaching out to the GLBT community. Serious concerns were rising by late afternoon, because no official announcements of this murder were being made, although internal reports were being written and passed along through the military brass.

Calls about the murder swarmed in while hours passed and both gay and straight military sources continued to grow more concerned.

Activists within the GLBT community began receiving reliable and very accurate information about the murder as it was being reported on base long before mainstream media began investigating the story and reporting it to the public.

On Wednesday morning, Ben Gomez, from the San Diego Chapter of American Veterans for Equal Rights, began discussing our deep concerns about the fact that there as no public media coverage about the murder.

I began to receive reports from sources on base that Seaman Provost was not only gay, but that he had possibly been harassed by other servicemembers for his sexual orientation and for being perceived as gay.

Some reports that came from the base even stated that Provost may have been the subject of anti-gay harassment only hours before he went on duty and was killed.

Yesterday, Wednesday, July 1, an official flag raising ceremony of the Rainbow Flag was held at the Navy Training Center Liberty Station to officially kick off San Diego Pride Month.

As I arrived at the event at which I was speaking, I received more information from sources on base about the murder that occurred 24-hour prior.

I spoke with officials from the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) and the American Veterans for Equal Rights, who joined me as Chair of the San Diego Human Relations Commission (HRC) in asking for a complete investigation on this possible hate crime.

Last month the HRC voted to urge the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and officially requested the San Diego City Council take an official stance on the repeal of the policy.

The media in attendance at the NTC picked up the story of the Camp Pendleton murder as I spoke about it.

I contacted Congressmembers Bob Filner and Susan Davis to request that they make an official inquiry into the murder and to determine if it was indeed a hate crime.

Filner has officially called for a special investigation and a full disclosure from the military.

We want to make sure there is a full public disclosure made by the military authorities, concerning this murder and possible hate crime.

It is important to note that late Tuesday evening and early Wednesday morning we were receiving reports from our sources on the base Provost may have not only been shot, but his body also possibly burned. This is information the “gay network” gave us –reaching out to us – in the GLBT community, long before media even started reporting about a sailor murder on Camp Pendleton. Reliable sources from the base say that Provost was facing a possible discharge, likely on the basis of his sexual orientation.

Sadly, I was also informed that Provost’s partner Kaether Cordero, who lives in Texas, and who Provost had told friends was the “love of his life,” only found out about his lover’s murder by a reporter who called him.

It is also interesting that Congressmember Filner was on base Tuesday and no one informed him about the murder.

The fact is, because of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” partners of gay and lesbian soldiers who are killed in action while defending our country are never informed of their death, just as was in the case Provost’s partner.

I’ve received calls from gay military personnel who knew Provost, who joined the Navy 15-months-ago, and was hoping to become an engineer. Friends tell me Provost was a happy-go-lucky, down-to-earth, nice-guy who was a “snappy dresser.” This smart, patriotic and handsome gay sailor was African-American and was described to me by his friends as a wonderful, loving, human being who loved his family and his partner. One friend stated he could have been a model in Ebony Magazine, because he had such a friendly smile.

I offer my deep condolences to the Provost family, his partner Kaether and his friends.

The GLBT community of San Diego, AVER, SLDN, the Human Relations Commission and the Gay & Lesbian Times will continue to monitor the murder of this proud American servicemember. We appreciate Congressmember Filner and his office making official inquiries into a possible hate crime surrounding Provost’s murder.

AVER, SLDN, the SD HRC and the San Diego Lesbian and Gay Community Center are organizing a vigil and memorial at The Center in memory of this fallen member of the military. For more information and details, e-mail at nicolemrsd@aol.com.

For the latest details regarding this murder and the vigil for Seaman August Provost, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com.