Gay Sailor Found Dead

By Amita Parashar

A 29-year-old gay sailor was found dead at California's Camp Pendleton early Tuesday morning. A "person of interest" is being held in connection with the suspected murder of August Provost, The Union-Tribune reports.

Provost's body was discovered in a guard shack, Navy officials said.

The San Diego Human Rights Commission "trusts and hopes the military will investigate this in the professional way it should," chairman Nicole Murray-Ramirez said.

Provost's partner, Kaether Cordero, spoke to the paper from Houston, where the sailor was from, about Provost's orientation. "People who he was friends with, I knew that they knew. He didn't care that they knew."

San Diego's Union-Tribune also reports that Provost recently complained to family members about a person who was harassing him.

Provost joined the Navy in March 2008 to help finance his education and was studying to become an architectural engineer.

It is unclear whether current controversy over the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which prevents gay and lesbian personnel from serving openly, figured in Provost's death.

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Name: Roger Burr
Date posted: 7/3/2009 10:18:00 AM
Hometown: Marble Hill, MO

Comment:
I tend to agree with USN Jake. This petty officer SHOULD have told his superiors he was being harrassed. DADT would have prevented THEM from asking him if there was any 'reason' behind the harrassment while, at the same time, it would have FORCED them to confront his tormentor. I am TOTALLY AGAINST DADT! That said, in THIS case it might have worked to the sailors benefit. I hope the person responsible is sent to prison for life! This young sailors life, so filled with promise, was snuffed out because of baseless hatred. God rest his soul.
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Name: Brad Bailey
Date posted: 7/3/2009 2:15:00 AM
Hometown: Fayetteville, Arkansas

Comment:
"Outdated policies?" Are you saying you're against "don't ask don't tell." PJR?
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Name: kg
Date posted: 7/2/2009 9:06:00 PM
Hometown: CLT

Comment:
what are the closeted KKK so afraid of? they are out buying guns en masse, and harrassing and killing "the homos", and talking about the end of civilization. If what they are doing is civilized then an end can't come soon enough. Why are the bigots so scared and wanting to scare the rest of us? Rush and others breathes fear and loathing and from the pulpits they preach intolerance and demise of our "great" civilization. They long for Armaggedon and are counting on it. Some are actually wishing Osama would terrorize us again, so we would "wake up". Now I know why Lennon sang of "and no religion too"... Imagine
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Name: Joe Reid
Date posted: 7/2/2009 8:12:00 PM
Hometown: San Diego, CA

Comment:
Does it matter to you Obama that black men are dying as a result of your inaction?
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Name: Michael R
Date posted: 7/2/2009 7:29:00 PM
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale

Comment:
I hope the Navy arrests the person responsible for this. My condolences go out to his family and friends. God bless you August Provost.
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Name: Peter
Date posted: 7/2/2009 7:01:00 PM
Hometown: Denver Colorado

Comment:
Completely inappropriate you should keep things like that in your head AT ALL TIME.
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Name: Kris
Date posted: 7/2/2009 6:28:00 PM
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

Comment:
How about every GLBT service member, get together, and come out in a huge group? It might seem dumb to some people but there has to be at least 10% of the military that are GLBT. Stand up, and out. It is rediculous to think that the military has stooped so low, that now you don't even have to have a highschool diploma, be sane or have a clean arrest record to join the military. Bravo~Bravo, military....
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Name: CHris Sullivan
Date posted: 7/2/2009 5:02:00 PM
Hometown: Chicago, IL

Comment:
Truly sad. Unfortuantely, emotional maturity isn't a requirement to be in the military. But then again, if men the world over were more mature, there would be no need for miliatries in the first place.
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Name: Randall Valentin
Date posted: 7/2/2009 4:56:00 PM
Hometown: Dallas

Comment:
I'm disgusted by this and all the other hate-related violence we've witnessed this week. Now is the time for courage and action.
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Name: Lickety Splitz
Date posted: 7/2/2009 4:15:00 PM
Hometown: Lez Not Go There

Comment:
He was killed by SEAMEN.

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