Honor Bound : A Gay American Fights for the Right to Serve His Country

Rating:
Summary: A Good Case For the Gay Ban
Review:
Joseph Steffan gives us an interesting account of the military in general and the US Naval Academy in particular in the late 80s and early 90s. Mr. Steffan was selected for entry in the academy and flourished, reaching high leadership positions and gaining numerous honors. The first half or so reads much like the standard military academy novel. But something happens along the way. The author discovers he is a homosexual. Understanding his sexual orientation would end his career he tries to keep this quiet, telling only a handful of friends. Unfortunately, one of these friends outs him to authorities. At this point Steffan shines and the Academy tarnishes itself by being completely inflexible. As the investigation reaches its climax, a senior naval officer at the academy asks Mr. Steffan if he is gay mere weeks before he is to graduate. Feeling bound by the Academy's Honor Code, he tells the truth. Before you can say "youre out", Mr. Steffan is......well....out!

Steffan's treatment by the Academy leadership is truly sad. Here's a guy at the top of his class who honestly tells the powers that be he's unqualified to serve in the military. Instead of letting him leave with some dignity, the senior leadership changes his vital leadership grade from A to F, strips him of all midshipman rank and throws him into the street. Given his accomplishments and the fact he was weeks from completing coursework, he should have been allowed to graduate. I know service academies do allow students to graduate when they have become unfit to serve close to graduation time. They should have made an exception for this fine gentlemen.

Thats not to say I think he makes the case he should have been commissioned. I do not. His arguments for this fall flat. His main argument is that hes constrained by the same outmoded rules that used to keep out blacks and women. He doesnt tell the reader that these groups were integrated into the military after there was a need and society was ready. In the late 20th Century, there was no shortage of available servicemen that would have warranted allowing openly gay soldiers to serve with people not ready for them. Steffan accidentally reveals the problem with letting him serve when he notes in a post discharge visit to the Academy, many people treated him differently. Its likely this attitude would have caused him and the military terrible problems had he entered Naval service. Many of his other arguments to lift the gay ban also collapse under scrutiny. In particular, he couches these arguments in a way that he believes there is a right to serve in the military. There is no such thing. Go look in the Constitution for this right. It doesnt exist.

This is not to say open homosexuals shouldnt be allowed to ever serve. Some of the old arguments (security risk in particular)dont seem to be valid anymore. I also think its likely attitudes of those now serving may have changed enough to allow the Joe Steffans to serve. But I can say this much. I was in the military at the time Mr. Steffan was at the Academy. Those I served with would have major issues if forced to be in the same unit with this guy!

Another thing Id like to say in Steffan's favor that really doesnt fit above. While at the Academy, he tells us he became aware of other homosexual midshipmen. From reading the text I got the feeling some of Steffan's friends in the gay advocacy community pressured him to name names. He intentionally does not do this, noting this would likely ruin their lives. Kudos to Joseph Steffan for being a classy guy!

Perhaps its time to lift the gay service ban now. It definitely wasnt then!

Rating:
Summary: Do Ask, Do Tell
Review: I read this book (just finished) and wanted to review it while its fresh on my mind. I thought the book was very enlightning, to say the least and I really felt for joe steffan, they don't make guys like this anymore. Where he could very well have just kept his mouth shut, he chose to stand up for himself, I wish I had more of his courage and perseverance. Thanks to men and women like himself, this issue will keep being chipped away at and this book is a testament that good, honest people come in all types; straight, gay, black, white, short, tall and they need to be judged by their merits and work ethics whatever the job deems, thats what counts.

Rating:
Summary: Still hard to believe this goes on.........
Review: I read this book (just finished) and wanted to review it while its fresh on my mind. I thought the book was very enlightning, to say the least and I really felt for joe steffan, they don't make guys like this anymore. Where he could very well have just kept his mouth shut, he chose to stand up for himself, I wish I had more of his courage and perseverance. Thanks to men and women like himself, this issue will keep being chipped away at and this book is a testament that good, honest people come in all types; straight, gay, black, white, short, tall and they need to be judged by their merits and work ethics whatever the job deems, thats what counts.

Rating:
Summary: Do Ask, Do Tell
Review: Joseph speaks out for a lot of the military. It amazes me that we let all the expulsions go on. Every year our military is depleted from these expulsions. No one has proven that homosexuality divides cohesion in a military unit. Another example is Tracy Thorne.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible insider's view of the workings of our military
Review: This book was, in short, incredible. I can't believe it's no longer in print. Steffan offers a very frank view of the Navy as seen by one who excels through it's ranks. I've often asked my grandfather (who was also in the Navy) to tell me what it was like. Most persons are very vague about the experiences of boot camp, etc. Steffan clears up the mystery with a very matter-of-fact tone. When the political issues that prevent his graduation come up in the story, I was right there with him, and livid that such injustices happen within the very institution we rely upon to maintain the freedoms offered to us within the US. One of the best aspects of this book is the clear, simple way in which he writes. Steffan is obviously not a slick story-teller and this makes his story ever the more believable and relevant to myself and my political views. This book addresses the very real nightmare of discrimination that is alive and well in our society, and negates our want to be complacent about the system and its injustices. If you can get ahold of this book, read it!