▁comfortable ." ▁ ▁Germany ▁post ings ▁As ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁D AD T ▁ne ared , ▁Phill ips ▁and ▁his ▁unit ▁returned ▁from ▁South west ▁Asia ▁to ▁their ▁posting ▁at ▁Ram stein ▁Air ▁Base ▁in ▁Germany . ▁He ▁anticip ated ▁that ▁the ▁day ▁following ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁D AD T ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁unusual : ▁" I ' m ▁not ▁going ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁para de ... It ' s ▁going ▁to ▁be ▁like ▁another ▁day ." ▁On ▁September ▁ 1 4 ▁he ▁posted ▁a ▁video ▁contribution ▁to ▁the ▁It ▁G ets ▁Better ▁Project ▁and , ▁still ▁hiding ▁his ▁face , ▁said ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁" very ▁happy ▁l ately ." ▁On ▁September ▁ 1 8 , ▁Phill ips ▁attended ▁the ▁annual ▁Gay ▁Festival ▁day ▁at ▁Mun ich ' s ▁Oktober fest , ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁U . S . ▁military ▁cont ing ent ▁organized ▁by ▁two ▁organizations ▁of ▁gay ▁and ▁les bian ▁serv ic em embers , ▁Out Ser ve ▁and ▁the ▁Serv ic em embers ▁Leg al ▁Def ense ▁Network . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁September ▁ 1 9 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁already ▁early ▁morning ▁of ▁September ▁ 2 0 ▁in ▁Germany , ▁Phill ips ▁tele phon ed ▁his ▁father ▁in ▁Alabama , ▁whom ▁he ▁had ▁not ▁seen ▁for ▁a ▁year . ▁After ▁a ▁few ▁minutes , ▁Phill ips ▁said : ▁" D ad , ▁I ' m ▁gay . ▁I ▁always ▁have ▁been . ▁I ' ve ▁known ▁for ... fore ver ." ▁Phill ips ▁then ▁asked ▁his