Distinguished Lecture Series to Host Naval Officer Lt. Cdr. Blake Dremann
September 28, 2017
Contact: Kristina Drumheller
For Immediate Release
Sept. 25, 2017
LOCATION CHANGE: Legacy Hall, Jack B. Kelley Student Center
Transgender Navy Officer Lt. Cdr. Blake Dremann to Speak at WTAMU
Canyon, Texas—West Texas A&M University will host decorated transgender Navy officer, Lieutenant Commander Blake Dremann at 6:30 p.m. on October 2 in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center.
Sponsored by the WTAMU Distinguished Lecture Series and Buff Allies, Lt. Cdr. Dremann’s appearance and the corresponding event will be free and open to the public. Dremann will share about the continued importance of his activist efforts for transgender service members and their families in these uncertain times.
Dremann has served in a variety of sea and shore duty assignments, completing 11 deployments during his 11-year military career. In 2016, he became the first openly transgender service member to be promoted after the ban on transgender troops ended. Dremann currently serves as President of Service Members, Partners, and Allies for Respect and Tolerance for All, a national LBGT advocacy organization.
“We are excited to bring such a dynamic and committed speaker to campus,” said Kristina Drumheller, professor of communication and coordinator for Buff Allies. “His service to the U.S. in general, and the LGBTQIA community in particular, is inspiring.”
During his years of service, Dremann has received various awards, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal as well as the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. In 2015, he was honored with the Navy League’s Vice Admiral Robert F. Batchelder Award, the Navy’s highest logistics award.
About West Texas A&M University’s Distinguished Lecture Series
The Distinguished Lecture Series was created in 2007 to enhance student education. The mission of the DLS is to invite persons of national prominence to the WTAMU campus in order to expose students to experts and well-known speakers. DLS-funded events are free and open to the public.
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