joining us now is marine corps staff sergeant, eric alva. thank you for joining us this evening. >> thank you for having me. >> the commandant of your branch of the service, the marine says repealing don't ask, don't tell is a distraction that will result in marines being injured and killed. what is your reaction to that? >> you know, i didn't hear about his comments until this morning, even though he made them yesterday, and i was just really taken aback on how disrespectful someone who is the leader of the united states marine corps can talk about, you know, members in the armed forces who is aware of that there are gay service members serving in the marine corps, and all branches of service. but what he did was totally, what we call in the military, conduct unbecoming. i mean, he literally took my purple heart and threw it in my face. i mean, to say that there are distractions and could cause deaths or even loss of limbs for people because of knowing that there are openly gay men and women serving in the military, i mean, this is just unb

. >> reporter: singled out for special recognition today -- >> marines like eric alva. >> reporter: the first marine seriously wounded in iraq. sergeant alva told us his tale three years ago. >> waking up and actually seeing that my leg was gone -- it almost felt like a nightmare. >> reporter: today, he insisted that the military is ready for the change. >> i've had so many calls even from current military service members right now, both gay or straight. >> reporter: four years ago, we met discharged gay sergeant bleu copas, one of the army's few arabic speakers. >> the work that my specific job does is one of the most important jobs of the military. >> reporter: today, copas told us he might re-enlist. >> just because i have been burnt by this policy doesn't mean that's been taken out of who i am. i am still a patriot. i am still a soldier at heart. >> reporter: but what of those like marine commandant james amos who said today's move could hurt unit cohesion. >> my recommendation is that we should not implement repeal at this time. >> reporter: amos told president obama yesterday that

one of the young men, his name was eric alva. he was a marine. in 1990, he join the marines at the age of 19. 13 years later 3, 2 years of age, he was serving in basra on the first day of the war in iraq an march 21, 20036789 this young marine be, eric alva went into the invasion of basra, stepped on a land mine and became the first u.s. casualty of the war in iraq. as a result of that occurrence, his right arm and left leg sustained permanent damage. his right leg was simply gone. he was saved, sent to hospitals in landstuhl, jearnlings and then here in the -- in landstuhl, germany, and then here in the united states where they did everything humanly possible to repair his broken border, the broken body of this young manager the first casualty of the war in iraq. as he flai that hospital going through -- as he lay in that hospital going through countless surgeries to restore his life, he was visited by against secretary donald rumsfeld and then by first lady laura bush, and president george bush who personally awarded him a purple heart. it was

. >> retired sergeant eric alva is a 13 year marine corp veteran who lost a leg after a land mine explode emptied iraq. today the openly gay alva offered to help the pentagon conduct its sensitivity training. >> two big california industries are getting some extra time to comply with string he went new diesel administration regulations. the california air resources board voted unanimously yesterday to give trucking and construction industries an extra four years to meet the new pollution standards. the board says the economic downturn has meant fewer diesel trucks on the road resulting in a sharp drop in diesel particulates. they later determined that scientists have overestimated the amount of pollution produced by construction. the emission rules remain the toughest in the nation. >>> millions of americans are packing their bags and leaving home this holiday season. aaa says it predicts more than 92 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home for the christmas and new year's holiday. that's a 3% increase over last year. of those travelling, 93% are expected to drive to their

i'm here because of staff sergeant eric alva, the first ground unit casualty of the war in iraq, the first casualty in the war in iraq was a gay soldier. the mine took off his right leg, and that mine that took off his right leg didn't give a darn whether he was gay or straight. we shouldn't either. we cannot let these patriots down. their suffering should end. it will end with the passage of this bill. i urge its passage today. it's the right thing to do. mr. inhofe: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from oklahoma. mr. inhofe: it's my understanding i have ten minutes. i would like to ask you to let me know when i have one minute remaining. the presiding officer: the chair will notify. mr. inhofe: first of all, mr. president, we have a couple of votes today that are things that we should have been addressing for a long period of time, and i had time to really get at the bottom, and one is the dream act. i think the senator from alabama did a very thorough job of talking about the problems. i would only say this about the dream act. i have been privileged over the past

[applause] marines like eric alva, one of the first in iraq. [applause] leaders like captain jonathan hopkins, who led a bullet -- platoon into northern iraq, quelling ethnic riot, earning a bronze star with valor. [applause] he was -- he was discharged only to receive letters and e-mails from his soldiers saying they had known he was gay all along and thought he was the best commander they ever had. [applause] there are a lot of stories like these -- stories that only underscore the importance of enlisting the service of all who are willing to fight for this country. that is why i hope those soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, coastguardsman who have been discharged and this discriminatory policy will seek to reenlist once the repeal is implemented. [applause] that is why i say to all americans, gay or straight, who want nothing more than to defend this country in uniform -- your country needs and wants you. we will be honored to welcome you into the ranks of the finest military this world has ever known. [applause] some of you remember i visi