Category: Uncategorized

“I welcome today’s vote by the Senate clearing the way for a legislative repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ law.

“Once this legislation is signed into law by the President, the Department of Defense will immediately proceed with the planning necessary to carry out this change carefully and methodically, but purposefully. This effort will be led by Dr. Clifford Stanley, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and himself a retired Marine Corps major general and infantry officer.

“The legislation provides that repeal will take effect once the President, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certify that implementation of the new policies and regulations written by the Department is consistent with the standards of military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention of the Armed Forces. As I have stated before, I will approach this process deliberately and

will make such certification only after careful consultation with the military service chiefs and our combatant commanders and when I am satisfied that those conditions have been met for all the Services, commands and units.

“It is therefore important that our men and women in uniform understand that while today’s historic vote means that this policy will change, the implementation and certification process will take an additional period of time. In the meantime, the current law and policy will remain in effect.

Continue reading “(updated) Secretary Gates on Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’”

Many thanks to those who provided input so that we could develop the USNA Out goals for 2011 in support of our mission.

I believe that we have developed a very aggressive set of goals for USNA Out to accomplish in 2011, and I have no doubt that with the dedicated effort of many of our members that we will be able to fulfill our expectations.

---

Midshipmen, Alumni and Naval Academy Support – Support the Naval Academy and Brigade of Midshipmen:

Continue to provide informal support to USNA midshipmen and alumni who are struggling with issues such as coming out, mental health difficulties, and discrimination.

Develop referral and resource list for midshipmen and alumni needing formal support.

Produce a short version of Out of Annapolis for use in classrooms (educational edit).

Follow up on annual MIDN Award that has been discussed previously including legal authority.

Obtain a legal opinion on “Awards” to Midshipmen that exceed $20, such as insignia at graduation.

Engrave the “OSCAR with Trident” on the back of the insignia provided to graduating midshipmen at the annual dinner.

Understand requirements to endow permanent chair at USNA (~$5.5M?) and begin long-range planning.

---

Members – connect and network with each other:

Plan a regular and ongoing ad in Shipmate as a constant presence for the USNA Alumni Association, alumni and midshipmen to see.

Build USNA Out membership among active duty LGBT, and straight allies.

Attract those alumni who are alienated or estranged from USNA Out.

Re-market our image to be more inclusive of those who are not “Out.”

Show Out of Annapolis in Annapolis. [COMPLETED]

Set a date for the dinner by February 28th. [COMPLETED]

Complete & publish the essay “Coming out at USNA” at least 2 weeks before DADT is scrapped.

Create Name Tags for the annual dinner, with Name and Class, Name & Staff Billet, Name & Host’s Name & Class.

Work with USNA and USNAAA to respect the last will and testament of USNA Out members regarding burials, internments and obituaries.

---

Fundraising – Raise funds for USNA Out and the Naval Academy Foundation:

USNA Out: $10,000.

Grant to USNAF from USNA Out of $5,000.

USNA Out member donations direct to USNAF: $20,000. [EXCEEDED]

Revise the Donate Page to be more persuasive.

---

Organizational Development – strengthening the USNA Out organization:

Establish goals for 2012 in November 2011.

Report on 2011 Goals in January 2012.

Establish fiscal policies to ensure the solvency of USNA Out.

Create specific guidelines for how USNA Out funds are distributed among USNA Out programs and expenses and Corporate donations to USNAF

Complete & publish the “Guidelines for Member Interactions” 2 weeks prior to the Annual Dinner.

Establish Communications Committee to develop communications guidelines.

Develop an external communications plan which conveys a respectable and consistent image. [COMPLETED]

We know there is much additional work to be done for USNA Out to remain in step with the forthcoming changes as the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy sunsets.
Continue reading “2011 Goals”

This video is the full press conference where President Obama signs legislation to eliminate DADT. USNA Out member and SLDN Board Co-Chair CDR Zoe Dunning, USNR (Ret.) is recognized by the President from the podium for her service and is asked to stand next to him as he signs the legislation. She is the woman who gets the first hug as the President crosses the stage, and at the end of the video during the signing, she stands between Vice President Biden and President Obama.

Watch the Video

Continue reading “12/22/2010 – USNA Out Member Zoe Dunning ’85 Stands Next to President at Signing”

Again our personal thanks to each of you for participating in the OUT of ANNAPOLIS study on the first call for inputs.

This page expired 5/21/2010.

Any further questions, please contact Steve@usnaout.org

Continue reading “5/17/2010 – page expired 5/21/2010”

Articles with Photos

• Chair’s Welcome for 2018 – http://usnaout.org/mo/2018-chair-dinner-invite – DONE
• Sails & Tales – http://usnaout.org/962018-sails-tails-2018 – DONE
• Dark Ages Mixer – http://usnaout.org/1292018 – DONE
  6 May 18 – 10th Annual USNA Out Alumni & Midshipmen get together – http://usnaout.org/1804-562018-10th-annual-alumni-midshipmen-gathering-annapolis – DONE
• Navy Spectrum BBQ with Photos – http://usnaout.org/mo/2017/spectrum-bbq – DONE
• The SF Bay Area Pride Kickoff with Photos – http://usnaout.org/mo/norcal-pride-2017-recap – DONE
• Popcorn from the Void – http://usnaout.org/1801-9192017-popcorn-void – DONE

What’s up with our members

• Barb Wujciak ’84 – http://usnaout.org/mo/2018-barb-84-update – DONE
• Kris Moore ’13 – Founding Navy Spectrum President reports that he will be starting his assignment at USNA as part of the LEAD program this May. First year is grad school at GWU followed by 2 years as a Company Officer. BZ Kris!
• CAPT Jarrett ’96 – http://usnaout.org/mo/2017-capt-jarrett-promotion – DONE

Become More Engaged

Are you willing and eager to take on a leadership role amongst your LGBT Alumni peers?
The USNA Out Board of Directors is comprised of members representing the diverse professional backgrounds and academy year groups of our membership. The Board of Directors, though inputs from our membership, provide the energy and guidance for the organization so that we can best fulfill our mission. The Board is also joined by non-voting Board Advisors who liaise with the US Naval Academy faculty, staff and midshipmen and other organizations. Please let one of our board members know that you want to step forward and contribute to make USNA Out the great organization that it is.

Last Call

Since our last newsletter, USNA Out has lost 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://usnaout.org/memoriam/glen. Read more about Glen at https://www.usna.com/custom/GiveRSS.ashx?type=single&newsID=3481
• 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
• Charlie Wood ’42 (12/2 8/2016). Charlie was one of our first allies to join us. A resident of Spokane, Washington, upon retirement from the Navy, Charles 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.

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

Don’t Forget to RSVP

Don’t forget to RSVP for our annual grand event on Sunday 6 May!
Continue reading “Next Newsletter”

Hello Members of USNA Out,

I’m excited to send the first newsletter of 2010 updating you on the many activities underway at USNA Out. We’ve been busy over the last winter – welcoming new members and board members, setting goals and dates, placing an ad in Shipmate, wrapping up a documentary, sadly mourning the loss of a member, and joining the Facebook and Twitter communication revolution!

And to think Spring has only just arrived!

Welcome Aboard!

“Welcome Aboard” to the thirteen new USNA Out members who have joined us in the first three months of 2010! For those of you who have not logged onto our website recently, you will notice that we now have an “online roster” viewable by verified members who are logged onto the site. Thank you for posting your member info and uploading your photos, too. If you note classmate, teammates or friends who are notably absent from our roster, please have them join us at http://usnaout.org/join. The “Faces of USNA Out” program continues, and a few new members’ profiles have been recently added. Become a role model for those who follow in our foot steps. Consider adding your personal USNA story to the collection of those already there.

If you are one of the few who have not registered at our website, you won’t be able to see some of these links provided in this update, but you can register at http://usnaout.org/join

Board of Directors

Welcome to Heather Davies ’93 who just joined the USNA Out, Inc. Board of Directors. Any member of USNA Out who is willing to bring some talent, skill or energy to the organization is eligible to serve on the USNA Out Board of Directors. The reality in organizations such as ours is those who desire to get more involved will get more involved.

Our Goals for 2010

The Board of Directors for USNA Out, Inc, was established in December 2009 and has been meeting monthly. Achievable goals for this first year under the our new organization structure include:

Completing our organizational development.

Raising funds on behalf of the USNA Alumni Association for programs that would directly impact midshipmen.

Providing for USNA Out representation at President’s Circle events, Board of Trustees meetings and other events which would reflect well upon USNA Out Alumni and nurture our relationships with the Academy and the Alumni Association. This includes the development of speaking points for USNA Out members who attend these and other events.

Do you have ideas for goals you believe USNA Out should pursue this year? The board would like to know! Please email greer@usnaout.org with your ideas. Complete minutes of the board meetings are available for review on the USNA Out Members Only Tab.

USNA Out, Inc., 501(c)(3) Status

Our application to the IRS for a 501(c)(3) tax exempt status for USNA Out, Inc, was submitted at the end of 2009. We were given “conditional approval” in January 2010 and expect to receive our “final approval” from the IRS later this month. This status will allow USNA Out, Inc, to make a positive contributions to support the Mission of the US Naval Academy. The social and networking aspects of USNA Out fall outside the purview of USNA Out, Inc. and hence will remain non tax-deductible, however our true operating costs are basically non-existent covered through the volunteer work of our members as a team.

May-June SHIPMATE

USNA Out has placed this congratulatory note to the Class of 2010 for publication in the May-June SHIPMATE:

Publication costs for this one-half page announcement were paid from “prospective profits” from our documentary feature OUT of ANNAPOLIS and not from any USNA Out nor USNA Out, Inc. funds.

“OUT of ANNAPOLIS” Update

I know Steve Hall ’75 is busy beyond belief in the final post production efforts to get the documentary film about us into the can. OUT of ANNAPOLIS has been entered into a select group of LGBT film festivals. We will make an announcement when we know the opening date and the schedule of screenings. The opening sequence is available for members to view on line at http://usnaout.org/mo/ooa/opening. A big thanks for Heather Davies ’93 for providing such spectacular songs for the score of the film. Funding for this important project has come from sources outside of USNA Out and not from USNA Out funds. 122 of 198 invited took the “OUT of ANNAPOLIS Study” on the first round, I congratulate you on your great participation! The study, which is part of the story presented in the film, is expected to be completed by the end of this month. Any questions about the study, contact steve@usnaout.org.

Hubert Dorsett ’66 passing

It’s with great sadness that I report the passing of a long time USNA Out member, Hubert Dorsett ’66. His obituary appears in the March-April SHIPMATE. I encourage all of you to read Hubert’s own words which are on his Faces of USNA Out profile page at http://usnaout.org/hubert.

Join us on Facebook!

Keep up with USNA Out on a real time basis by becoming a Fan of USNA Out on Facebook! Big thanks to Eric Shangle ’97 for taking the lead on this highly visible outlet for others to see who we really are.

I am eager to hear your thoughts and feedback. Please contact me at Brian@usnaout.org or the board at Board@usnaout.org.

Go Navy!

Brian

[USNA Out members please read the Members Newsletter Addendum too!]

Continue reading “4/7/2010 – the USNA Out Spring ’10 Newsletter (a publication without a name, yet)”

Annapolis, Maryland – USNA Out Chair Brian Bender ’93 attended this year’s Outreach Conference February 26-28. The title of this year’s conference was “Answering the Call: Encouraging STEM Education for the Next Generation.” The conference had a split theme this year: Strategic Outreach review and recruiting future midshipmen and officers with aptitude in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

Continue reading “2/26/2010 – USNA Diversity Conference”

One of the accomplishments that USNA Out can put under their belt for 2009 was the completion of the 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Charitable and Educational Organization filing with the Internal Revenue Service. This was the logical follow up step to gaining our incorporation in the State of Maryland last fall. The application is lengthy with over 50 pages of attachments. Thanks to Steve Clark Hall ’75, who when the package was complete, helped do a page by page review to ensure nothing was missed. We are hoping that the application will be approved without requiring supplemental information.

Continue reading “USNA Out 501(c)(3) Status Update”