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

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

Most absolutely outstanding Book on Gays and Lesbians ever published. A MUST read for ever young Gay or Lesbian and their Parents.

This was an excellent read. Well written with clearly organized ideas, this book tells us what life is like for a gay midshipman trying to live up to (and succeeding) proper military ideals. You get a feel for who the author was as a human being and how unfair it was for him to be dismissed according to a military policy based in fear. Gay men and women who are looking to serve our country in the military would do well to read this book.

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!

This is by far the very best book I have ever read! It is tragic this wonderful book in no longer in print. A must read for everyone.