Unfortunately, this is not a surprise.

A military administrative board has recommended a discharge for Lt. Dan Choi who violated the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy by coming out on the Rachel Maddow Show last March. From Syracuse.com…

A four-officer panel meeting at Hancock Air Base notified Choi at about 5 p.m. that it would recommend he be discharged because he has publicly said he is gay.

The recommendation now goes to Lt. Gen. Thomas Miller of the First Army Division, and Gen. Craig McKinley, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, who will make the final decision.

“Today was a setback for me,” Choi said at a 6:10 p.m. news conference. “I got in trouble for saying three words. ‘I am gay.'”

But he said he refuses to lie about being involved in a relationship with another man. Choi said the relationship has made him a better person, a better Christian and a better officer.

Choi, an Arabic-speaking officer who served for 15 months in Iraq as a member of Fort Drum’s 10th Mountain Division before joining a New York National Guard unit based in Manhattan, said he would appeal to the higher-ranking officers to stay in the National Guard.

And an update from tonight’s Rachel Maddow Show:

The discharge process may take up to one year, and Choi may lose veteran benefits as a result.

Lt. Dan Choi appeared on the Rachel Maddow show tonight discussing his recent ouster from the Army National Guard thanks to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT). Rep. Joe Sestak was also on the program discussing the unfairness of the policy and how it might be repealed.

Lt. Choi responding to how DADT might be repealed…

Well, I’m not a politician myself, I just like so many thousands of others, gays and lesbians that are in the army, that are in the armed forces, who  raised their right hand and said “We are in a time of war right now;” it’s not about what timing is good or bad, its not about what you want to do, its about what your responsibility is. And we are saying that we are standing up to our responsibilities, and we are saying “we want to serve.”

Orange County Equality California (OCEC) is organizing a rally supporting Lt. Dan Choi who was ejected from the Army National Guard for coming out on the Rachel Maddow show. Details of the event follow:

Time: May 7, 2009 from 2pm to 3pm
Location: Bridge over Campus Dr. (Irvine, CA)
Street: 4255 Campus Drive
City/Town: Irvine, CA 92612
Website or Map: http://maps.google.com/maps…
Bring Signs. Bring Friends.

More on the protest available here.

Lt. Choi’s original appearance on Rachel Maddow below.

Lt. Choi will be appearing on Rachel Maddow again tonight.

Today Rachel Maddow revealed that previous guest Army National Guardsman Lt. Dan Choi, who came out publicly on her show, is the latest of victim of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, having received a letter from the Army informing him that he is being kicked out of the military.

This is to inform you that sufficient basis exists to initiate action for withdrawal of Federal Recognition in the Army National Guard for moral or professional dereliction. Specifically you admitted publicly that you are a homosexual, which constitutes homosexual conduct. Your actions negatively affected the good order and disciplin of the New York Army National Guard.

Video begins about 1:25 in:

Lt. Choi will be appearing live on the Rachel Maddow Show tomorrow night.