Louis Miller

Louis Miller served in the United States Navy and obtained the rank of Petty Officer Second Class.

Mr. Miller routinely received perfect 4.0 evaluation scores and was repeatedly Sailor of the Month aboard his command. He served during Desert Storm and earned the National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon. He was awarded with the Good Conduct Medal and nominated for Sailor of The Year by his Commanding Officers at Myanmar, a rare feat for a Petty Officer Second Class.

Despite his exemplary service, his military career abruptly ended due to the military’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies at the time. Due to an anonymous accusation from a fellow sailor, Mr. Miller had to endure an investigation and interrogations. The Navy determined that they could not confirm nor deny that Mr. Miller “engaged in, or attempted to engage in a homosexual act or acts” as is described in the narrative of his Other Than Honorable Discharge papers.

Twenty-eight years after his discharge, Mr. Miller decided to take action and reached out to SAGEVets, after learning about the Restoration of Honor Act (ROH). Legislation was unanimously supported by the New York State Senate to help veterans who were denied an honorable discharge because of their sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI) and ensure their New York State veterans' benefits are restored. Mr. Miller’s application was one of the first received by the New York State Division of Veterans’ Services, and one of the first to be approved.

Mr. Miller continues to advocate for himself and others and is actively working to appeal the decision by the Department of the Navy Board for Correction of Naval Records to deny his discharge upgrade at the federal level. He is thankful for this recognition by the New York State Senate, as it affords him the opportunity to encourage veterans who have walked in his shoes to step forward and allow New York State to restore the honor they earned.