ELWOOD – The first monument honoring lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender veterans in a national cemetery will be dedicated on Memorial Day at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.

The 2 p.m. Monday ceremony will be attended by veterans and former Gov. Pat Quinn.

The monument is the result of a four-year effort headed by the Chicago chapter of the American Veterans for Equal Rights.

“Most importantly, this is to honor men and women who have served this great nation,” said Stanley Jenczyk, chairman of the AVER Monument Committee. “This monument is a fulfillment of a promise that all military veterans have made in our hearts – that we will not forget our fallen brothers and sisters.”

AVER raised $19,500 for the monument. But getting approval from the Department of Defense to place it in Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery was not easy, Jenczyk said.

“They weren’t exactly happy about it,” he said.

The effort was launched just as the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, which required that gay soldiers not discuss their sexual identity, was being ended in the military. Just what words would be used on the monument, and whether it was a monument at all, became a matter of debate with the government, Jenczyk said.

“When I sent them our initial request, we said we request a monument for LGBT veterans,” Jenczyk said. “They said that we used the wrong terminology – that we didn’t want a monument.”

Jenczyk, however, said it is a monument.

The 4-foot granite monument contains the words: “Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people have served honorably and admirably in America’s armed forces. In their memory and in appreciation of their selfless service and sacrifice, this monument was dedicated by Chicago Chapter American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER).”

The monument on Memorial Pathway is among about a dozen other monuments at the national cemetery in Elwood.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Lynne Phelan, administrative supervisor at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. “Their dedication to our country goes far and beyond what I can imagine. It had to be very difficult for them.”

Jenczyk said the monument is important to LGBT veterans.

“One of the very, very important things that we all want the world to know is that LGBT people have always been here,” Jenczyk said. “We need to be visible. And we need to be in all corners of life. This is sacred ground. People who gave the full measure of devotion to their country are honored not only on Memorial Day, but every day. LGBT people need to be sure that we are there.”