The American Military Partner Association (AMPA) — the nation’s largest organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) military spouses, families, and allies — announced that industry giants and military family champions Comcast NBCUniversal and USAA will be joint presenting sponsors of the 5th Annual AMPA National Gala — the nation’s largest LGBT military event of the year — held on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at the Washington Hilton. Attended by hundreds of LGBT service members, military spouses, veterans, and allies from across the country and around the world, the event honors modern military families for their service and sacrifice to our nation.

The 5th Annual AMPA National Gala is an inspiring, empowering, and often emotional celebration of the incredible progress made for LGBT service members, veterans, and their families — many of whom for years were forced to serve in silence while hiding their families because of discriminatory laws and policies. With the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the recent end to outdated transgender policies, LGBT troops now serve our nation openly with pride. While President Trump has tried to reinstate a discriminatory transgender military ban, courts have so far blocked it from being implemented. AMPA is an organizational plaintiff in one of the lawsuits challenging the ban — Karnoski v. Trump, brought by Lambda Legal and OutServe-SLDN on behalf of nine individuals, AMPA, the Human Rights Campaign, and Gender Justice League.

Past speakers, honorees, and special guests at the annual event have included former Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy Rosemary Williams, marriage equality heroes Eddie Windsor and Jim Obergefell, officials from the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, LGBT military community heroes, and many more.

While the event is expected to sell out early, AMPA continues to keep ticket prices for the event affordable in order to ensure a broad spectrum of the community is able to attend. Early bird tickets are only $99 until March 15 and $149 after March 15. Tickets to the 5th Annual AMPA National Gala are available at www.MilitaryPartners.org/Gala. Businesses, organizations, and individuals interested in sponsorship packages may contact the organization at partners@militarypartners.org for more information.