In the fall of 2004, during her third deployment to Iraq as a combat photojournalist, U.S. Army Specialist Blanka K. Stratford signed a sworn statement admitting to being in a sexual relationship with another woman. A few weeks later, on November 19, she was sent home with an honorable discharge in accordance with the military’s official policy at the time on homosexuality, known colloquially as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”