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Last Call

Our last newsletter was too full to include everything.  Since our previous-to-last newsletter, USNA Out has lost (or learned about) the following members:

  • Conrad Miller ’49 (6/29/2016) – When Conrad joined us in July, 2010, he wished that “I had known about this organization before I became superannuated!” and when challenged for the secret handshake to prove that he graduated from USNA, “I’m a 1949 grad. How the hell can I remember my laundry number?” Conrad kept in close touch, letting us know how the others at his living facility were a bit “closed minded.”  Read more about Conrad at https://www.usna.com/custom/GiveRSS.ashx?type=single&newsID=3365
  • Glen Davis ’76 (9/7/2016) – Glen joined USNA Out in 2008. Prior to his last move to San Diego, he was quite proud that had a table with his name on it at the famous Twin Peaks Bar in San Francisco, AKA “The Glass Coffin.” Glen was a varsity swimmer at USNA, and he shared his story participating in the Faces of USNA Out at http://dev1.usnaout.org/memoriam/glen-davis.  Read more about Glen at https://www.usna.com/custom/GiveRSS.ashx?type=single&newsID=3481
  • Charles Wood ’42 (12/28/2016) – A life-long supporter of LGBT rights, Charlie was one of our first allies to join us. A resident of Spokane, Washington, upon retirement from the Navy, Charlie began a second career as an Episcopal priest. In the 1980s, Charlie and his wife, Ann, joined the Spokane Chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, and helped found Integrity, an LGBTQ advocacy group of the Episcopal Church. In 1992, Charles was the first clergy member to testify in front of Congress in support of allowing gays and lesbians to serve in the military.  Read more about Charlie at https://www.usna.com/custom/GiveRSS.ashx?type=single&newsID=3775.
  • David Lopez ’87 (6/7/2017) – David was a plank-owner member of USNA Out. He worked in the real estate business in Southern Florida.  Read more at David at https://www.usna.com/custom/GiveRSS.ashx?type=single&newsID=4260

All of these lost have been entered into the USNA Out memoriam.

Note: Suicide remains the number one cause of death amongst our members who have graduated less than 40 years ago.

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Popcorn from the Void

The posthumous memoir of former USNA Out member Todd Park was released on July 14, 2017.

At 50, Todd Park did not look like a man whose bone marrow teemed with 50% cancerous cells. He had no symptoms. Settled into a new job in his hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah after a naval career and other post-military employment gave him a lifetime of moving, a simple blood test taken for a discount on health insurance led to Continue reading “Popcorn from the Void”

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USNA Outers in Pride Events

We will add to this article as we receive your inputs. Please send them to  to us.  Please log in to see the editor’s email address.

USNA Out members were engaged in LGBT Pride Month event in the Fleet and ?? at the workplace.

Paula Neira at the Navy Yard JAG Pride event
Paula Neira at the Navy Yard NAVFAC Pride event

USNA Out member Paula M. Neira ’85 was the guest speaker for LGBT Month for Naval Facilities and Engineering Command (NAVFAC) at the Washington Navy Yard. Paula is a founding member of USNA Out, and has been a . Paula’s commitment to LGBT service was recognized by the Secretary of the Navy when she was chosen as the ship’s Co-Sponsor for the USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206).

Command Flier Announcing LGBT Pride at Strategic Systems Program Office
Command Flier Announcing LGBT Pride at Strategic Systems Program Office

USNA Out member Steve Hall ’75 was the honored guest speaker at the first ever LGBT Pride Month event at the Strategic Systems Program Office. Steve had served as the Executive Officer of the Sunnyvale, California, branch office Continue reading “USNA Outers in Pride Events”

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I Can See Clearly Now

An update from USNA Out member Barb Wujciak ’84..

Barb Wujciak ’84 reports that her crazy unbelievable Air Force career has taken another turn. The USAF is short on pilots and optometrists. So she threw her name in the hat and was selected for a 3 year Active Duty tour at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington DC. Ironic that this is a joint base with the Navy. Retirees, you can come by for an eye exam!

Shrewd USNA Outers will recognize the artist of the painting on Barb’s office bulkhead as being USNA Out member Linda Postenrieder ’82!

 

 

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USNA Out Update

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!

Lots of news to share with our members in this June Pride newsletter, the first newsletter which is assembled from the news and events that are posted on our recently upgraded website.  We know this newsletter is waaaay too long — We’ve got a full year backlog of news to share. Going forward with the communications tools built into our site, our all-volunteer newsletter team can now send more frequent, timely updates, and if you members keep your communications preferences up to date, you should also be able to receive geographically targeted communications

Events

New board member Brook Stevens ’12 has taken the lead in the 2018 Army Navy joint tailgate with the Knights Out in Philadelphia in December.  We should also have a few opportunities to gather USNA Out members around the West in the coming months around these Naval Academy events:

  • Navy/University of Hawaii Football in Honolulu (Game is 1 September)
  • Navy/USAFA game in Colorado Springs (Game is 6 October)
  • Navy/Notre Dame Football in San Diego (Game is 27 October)
  • Army-Navy Joint Tailgate with Knights Out (8 December)

Events don’t need to revolve around a Navy Football game.  Perhaps a significant LGBT movie at your local film festival, or a dining out activity.  If you are willing to form a team to sponsor a USNA Out event, please contact the board to let us know.

Leadership changes

There have been several changes within the USNA Out Board of Directors. Continue reading “USNA Out Update”

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Sails & Tails 2018

Sails & Tails of USNA Outers will be back in 2018! If you’re looking for other ways to meet up with Alumni in a venue other than football, here’s your chance! The first Sails & Tails of USNA Outers was a resounding success with many tales told and lots of amazing sailing.

Built in 1922 in Boothbay, Maine, Ladona recently completed a two-year rebuild and is fitted to carry 16 passengers. Schooner Ladona is reserved by USNAOuters to sail and tell old Continue reading “Sails & Tails 2018”

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Dark Ages Get Together in DC

USNAOut member Rob Beer (’90) and his partner Van Ellis hosted our first Dark Ages Mixer in their home in Washington, DC. There was no better way to shake off those winter blues than getting together with your shipmates! Thanks to Rob and Van for their hospitality!

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Navy Spectrum BBQ

The Columbus Day Weekend Barbecue with the Navy Spectrum midshipman was a tremendous success with about 25 midshipmen, alumni, and friends in attendance.

A huge big THANKS again to Navy Spectrum for inviting us USNA Out members to join your BBQ!

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CAPT Jarrett’s Promotion

On Friday, September 1st, USNAOut member Rich Jarrett was promoted to Captain at the Naval Academy’s Robert Crown Sailing Center. Joining him was his husband, Dann, and his family, sponsor family, friends, colleagues and a couple USNAOut members.

Please join us in congratulating the Navy’s newest Captain and his family.

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San Francisco Pride Kickoff

USNA Out members in Northern California gathered at the home our member Zoe Dunning ’85 for our 2017 Pride Kickoff Get-Together. Zoe was giving us our first visit to her recently redone home high above Noe Valley. More than half of our Bay Area members were able to attend, including seven of our new Bay Area arrivals!

Uniformly, everyone felt that “we need to do this more often!”

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2017 Alumni Midshipmen Annual Event in Annapolis

It seems like yesterday that USNAOut and Navy Spectrum were gathered in Ogle Hall, the home of USNA’s Alumni Association, for our annual Alumni and Midshipmen Dinner. This has always been my favorite USNAOut event, as it gathers alumni together to reconnect with each other, congratulate our midshipmen on completing another year, and welcome the fleet’s newest Navy and Marine Corps officers to our ranks. It’s been a pleasure to this event grow each year from the small, private meeting into the gathering of 70+ midshipmen, alumni, and guests. Last year we’ve seen the numbers of midshipmen attendees continue to grow to the point they outnumber the alumni!

We also had the honor of presenting ten Ensigns, and three Second Lieutenants their first sets of shoulder boards and insignia, which they wore with pride at their commissioning. And 2ndLt Chris Goodale (’17) also introduced an Spectrum sponsored initiative to build a mentorship program that promises to connect alumni of all ages and phases of their military and civilian careers and personal lives. And, as usual, some key members stepped up to make the event happen. I’d like to extend a long overdue “BZ” to Steve Hall (’75), Kristen “Rosie” Barnes (’92), Jeff Morrison (’04), Chip Hall (USCGA ’12), Dave Wolynski (’97), and Chris Goodale (’17).

Fast forward 10 months, it is already time to prepare for this year’s dinner. I hope you’ll mark your calendars to join us on 6 May at Ogle Hall to congratulate all the Spectrum Mids on another year done and welcome the class of 2018 to our ranks. Please keep an eye out for the registration link and let us know you are coming. We look forward to seeing you!

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The 2017 Alumni & Midshipmen Event in Annapolis

The Invites are ALMOST OUT!

All USNA Out members are invited to join us at our NINTH annual alumni event in Annapolis, when the we welcome our soon to be newest members from the Class of 2016 who will be graduating and commissioning 19 days following our event. Welcoming our new alumni members through this annual event has become the most cherished and meaningful of all USNA Out activities.

The event planners are excited to share that for the second time our event is happening in historic Ogle Hall, the home of the USNA Alumni Association. Ogle Hall is just outside the Yard though Gate Three, on the corner of King James Street & College Avenue. Also as in 2016, so we can better accommodate all our members and guest midshipmen, the event will be held on a Sunday Afternoon, May 7.

RSVPs are required by Sunday, 30 April (note: early registration by 21 April is discounted).

If you cannot make this year’s event, consider making a contribution when you RSVP so that we can continue to keep the event at little to no-charge for our midshipmen guests.

If you have recently met other USNA LGBT alumni who might not yet be registered on our website, please forward this invitation to them so they may also enjoy the opportunity join us in Annapolis.

For our large membership contingent in the Norfolk area, consider coordinating car pooling with the other LGBT alumni in the area.

Hope to see you in Annapolis!

Just click the invitation below to RSVP!

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“Out of Annapolis” Documentary Film Update

Filming for the documentary “Out of Annapolis” began in late October 2008 on the Yard of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Filming of the individual participant interviews began in November, and by January, about fifty percent of the planned interviews have been filmed, primarily in locations along the Eastern Seaboard between Philadelphia and Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Producer Steve Clark Hall ’75 will return to Annapolis during the second week of March and again the last week in April. Filming in Florida, Southern California and Austin will be completed during the month of March.

Our intention is to present a film primarily of interest to the LGBT community for use in numerous LGBT film festivals around the country. A recent article in the Baltimore Sun reported on some of the initial direction of the film.

What we are learning is that over 90% of our participants did not identify as LGBT when they took the Oath of Office as a Midshipman, more than 50% still didn’t identify as LGBT four years later at graduation from the US Naval Academy, when they were commissioned as officers serving in the US Navy and US Marine Corps. And for the vast majority, the coming out process was very, very difficult, sometimes impacting performance and usually impacting their career aspirations. Deployments and service within the war zones had the added stress of separation from their partners who had to remain invisible. As a whole, this project is revealing that despite the added pressures of living within the restrictions of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” we continue to be very dedicated to serving our country while remaining very dedicated to our families.

We have now identified over 200 LGBT Naval Academy Alumni, many who cannot participate in the project as they remain on active duty in service to their country. This number continues to grow. Our outreach will continue throughout the project so that we can better put a face on who we, the LGBT Alumni, really are.

“Out of Annapolis” is expected to be released in early summer, 2009. A short trailer for entry into Frameline 33 as a “work in progress” was submitted as part of the entry application. Frameline is the San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival, the world’s oldest and largest queer film festival. If “Out of Annapolis” is accepted as an entry, its debut will be at Frameline 33 in San Francisco which runs June 18-28, 2009.

You may view the trailer for “Out of Annapolis” on YouTube or at OutOfAnnapolis.com. Production updates, participant lists, schedules and inquiry contact information can also be found at the film website at OutOfAnnapolis.com. Some portions of the site are restricted to the registered participants.