News & Events

A great reason to get other USNA Outers together this weekend.. if you live in one of these metropolitan areas: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, LA, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Diego or Washington DC.

Burning Blue, a feature film written, produced and directed by USNA Out member DMW Greer USNA ’80 will be opening on movie screens throughout the country and also released on VOD.

For a list of theaters, visit http://www.burningbluefilm.com/#!theaters/cy8d

About the film

Before “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” became law, before Brokeback Mountain was a Short Story, Burning Blue was a Stage Play being performed in cities around the world. Twenty years later Burning Blue is finally an independent film.

Written in 1992 by DMW Greer USNA ’80, a former Naval Aviator, the stage play of Burning Blue premiered to great critical acclaim on the London Fringe at the King’s Head Theater in early 1995 before transferring to The Theatre Royal Haymarket on the West End where the production received two Olivier Awards. Since then, it has been seen by more than 100,000 people in multiple productions around the world from Tel Aviv to Paris. Drawn from the Author’s life, this funny, deeply compelling and tragic love story set against the backdrop of the US Navy was shot entirely in New York City. The roll of John in the film is played by Rob Mayes, USNA ’08.

Our New York area members were able to see a preview screening at the DGA theater in New York and our SF Bay Area members had the opportunity to see the world premier at Frameline in San Francisco last June.

see more about the film: http://www.burningbluefilm.com
Continue reading “6/6/2014 – Burning Blue”

Since 2008, when USNA Out was approached by a third class midshipman not yet a youngster desiring to join us, our online Gouge for LGBT Midshipmen has been a resource available to LBGT and questioning Midshipmen at the Naval Academy. Much of the early emphasis on the Gouge was on how to safely navigate the hazards of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy which was not well understood by any of the mids. With each lesson learned, we would update the Gouge with additional guidance to keep the LGBT Midshipmen on track for a successful time at USNA and beyond. As USNA Out took on a significant role as mentors, advisors and counselors, the Gouge included more and more issues dealing with LGBT life issues, including coming out at USNA.

When “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was repealed in 2011, 60% of the Gouge was extracted as no longer necessary. But the Gouge continued to be an important resource for the LGBT-Q midshipmen and was amended as we learned more about the difficulties of being LGBT in the fishbowl of the Naval Academy, fleet wardrooms and beyond.

Based on consistent feedback from the Mids, junior officers and alumni who have completed their service obligations, the Gouge has undergone the first major reconstruction since the end of the DADT era. The advice pages which were “themed” as all pages here at USNAOut.org have been moved to new more subtly themed web pages. The guidance is also being expanded to provide guidance beyond graduation. With the increased content volume, guidance has been broken into relevant portions to be easier to find.

Feedback is always welcome at USNA OUt. Our online guidance is very dependent on knowing the issue facing midshipmen, junior officers and alumni.
Continue reading “6/2/2014 – The “New” Gouge for LGBT Mids, JOs & Alumni”

Attendance by alumni was down by 30% from previous year. Analysis of 34 alumni identified as having attended one of the previous 5 dinners, 26 either RSVPd regrets or have moved out of the DC area. Reasons for no-attenance of 8 others unknown. Four alumni (20%) were joining the dinner for their first time.

Numbers by the Year

	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Mids – 1/C	4	7	5	18	13	8
Mids – 234/C	14	14	13	11	20	14
Mid guests	1	2	6	12	7	6
Alumni	6	18	33	30	30	21
Alumni guests	5	6	12	13	11	9
Others				6	1	6
Total Attendees	30	47	69	90	82	64
Donor attending	1	1	4	5	11	17
Donor absentia	0	0	3	5	10	9
Total Donors	1	1	7	10	21	26
Dinner Food & Bev	N/A	$1500	$8006	$6923	$4639	$5773
Decor/Printing	N/A	$0	$0		$94	$13
Dinner Total	N/A	$1500	$8006	$6923	$4733	$5786
Dinner Revenue	$0	$1500	$1999	$5445	$5026	$4960
USNA Out Subsidy	$0	$0	$6006	$1478	-$387	$812
Ticket Price	$0.00	$0.00	$50.00	$50.00	$60.00	$65.00
Cost/attendee	N/A	$31.91	$116.03	$76.92	$56.57	$90.20
Subsity/attendee	N/A	N/A	$87.05	$16.42	-$4.71	$12.69
Awards	N/A	$394.90	$557.79	$468.00	$429.00	$263.53

This report is here for info and resource of lessons learned for subsequent events, i.e. “how did we do it last time” and “how can it be better.” To see the history of all dinners, see http://usnaout.org/evolutions-alumni-student-dinners. Due to overwhelming very positive comments after the event, a post-event survey was not sent to attendees as in past years.

Attendance

Attending: 64

• 22 mids
• 6 guests of mids
• 21 alumni
• 9 guests of alumni

No shows: 3
Unplanned: 1 – “ally” midshipman 2/C
Tag along mids: 0

Note: No “hidden on the roster” nor unknown mids arrived at this event, a consistent pattern since the end of DADT.

Funding (unaudited)

The Class of 2014 executed the dinner event remaining within $1000 of collected funds which was the goal of the Chair & treasurer.

$5,000.00 contributions via PayPal®
$ (154.67) PayPal fees
$4,845.33 net PayPal receipts

$   115.00 checks
$     0.00 cash received at dinner
$4,960.33 Total receipts

$5,772.52 Catering
$   13.22 Printing

$5,785.74 Total expenses

$ 825.41 Shortfall paid by USNA Out

$292.71 in sales taxes which would have been precluded with Determination Letter (not received until 5/5/14)

---

The Event – What Happened and When

Planning

A POAM was re-developed from 2013 and followed. Most actions completed ahead or on schedule. Items not accomplished as planned were:

Linking alumni to midshipmen for awards. List of alumni attending with mini-bios was forwarded to Mid coordinator on 4/7 who forwarded list to 1/C on 4/21, received back from Mids on 4/23.

Printing of name badges on Friday night vice week before.

Email Communications

• 1/23/2014 (90 days before event) – Class of 2014 sent to all members  “save the date” (SENT 1 DAY EARLY)
• 3/11/11/2013 – Invitations from the Class of 2013 emailed to membership (4 DAYS EARLY)
• 4/4/2014 – USNA Out sent early registration reminder (1 DAY EARLY)
• 4/24/201 – USNA Out sent to dinner attendees updated SOE of the evening (Not in POAM, but could/should be included as action item in the future.

RSVPs

The RSVP period was 48 days long.
46 total RSVPs received of 302 non-mid members (15.2%)

When

• 18 – 39% RSVPs received immediately after first email
• 13 – 28% RSVPs received after initial rush before 3 week reminder
• 12 – 26% of RSVPs received after 3 week reminder before deadline
• 2 – 4% received after deadline (1 AD)
• 1 – 2% received after event

How

• 4 RSVPs received via email after initial invitation
• 42 RSVPs received via website

About the Event

“Save the Date” via email 90 days prior to the event per common protocol.

Invitations composited via photoshop (file linked below) and emailed to all alumni, faculty, staff, parent members. No mids nor courtesy distribution. Invite included time/location as they were set in time for the emailing.

A “schedule of events” was prepared and printed on goldenrod card stock. 8 half sheets were placed notables but were quickly absorbed by guests.

Attendees were provided pre-printed name Avery 74461 badges created online at http://www.avery.com/avery/en_us/Templates-%26-Software/Software/Avery-Design–Print-Online.htm.
Merging CSV file of attendees (First name, Last name, class) with USNA Out logo in ULH corner, printed to PDFs which were then taken to FedEx to print on white & blue card stock.

Midshipmen had an option to be designated as “ok to be in photos” or “not ok.” All midshipmen name badges were reversible. Those who were OK were initially given their name badge with the white (same as alumni) side showing, those who were not comfortable were initially blue.

Program proceeded exactly per the programmed times.

Recommended changes: Add housekeeping announcements to the program. Needed announcements include:

explanation of the badge colors

returning badge holders

encouraging pictures for sharing the event with those not there

“Awards” presentation choreography went as follows: Eight alumni introduced the eight soon to be ensigns from ’14 and each alum introduced the next alum. Because of the size of the crowd all of whom fit under the tent, the awards ceremony felt more intimate and personal than other outdoor presentations of the past.

Awards were given to all first class in attendance regardless of USNA Out membership as prescribed by the USNA Staff JAG. 

Written script was provided to presenters.

Most of the name badges returned for reuse.

Award/Event Inventory

At the completion of the event, USNA Out has in stock:

NEEDS UPDATE FROM 2013

• 140 Avery 74461 clip on name badges
• 5 – soft ENS shoulder boards
• 5 – garrison cap officer shields
• 1 – collar devices
• 2 – Men’s hard ENS shoulder boards – unboxed
• 1 – Women’s hard ENS boards w/USNA Out logo and collar devices wrapped in BLUE tissue
• 2 – black Marine globe & Anchors in boxes
• 2 – sets of 2 Marine globe & anchor bright
• 1 – roll of tickets
• a little bit of blue and little bit of gold tissue paper
• 4 – clear poly pint gift cans

  ---

  A big THANKS to all those who had roles in making the class of 2014 Midshipman’s Dinner happen. Special BRAVO ZULUs to:

  Board member Kristin Barnes ’92 – who procured the ensign & 2Lt insignia for the soon-to-be graduates, ran interference with the Staff JAG, and wrapper the awards for presentation.

  Special thanks to three members who were major contributors to the event, Jeff McClellen ’84, Rob Beer ’90, Mike Engler ’75 and the SIX other board members and SEVENTEEN other USNA Out members whose contributions allowed this event to be “no cost” to all midshipmen attending.

  Continue reading “2014 Dinner Postex”

April 15, 2014

Naval Academy LGBT Alumni Honor Class of 2014

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) alumni, midshipmen and their guests gathered here Saturday to recognize alumni and midshipmen accomplishments over the last year, commemorating seven months since repeal of the law commonly known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

Thirty-one midshipmen of all four classes and their guests attended, along with 34 members of USNA Out – the LGBT organization of U.S. Naval Academy alumni. Sixteen of the midshipmen are seniors, who will graduate on May 29 and be the first class at Annapolis to graduate under the new policy that now allows gay, lesbian and bisexual military members to serve without fear of discharge. The new policy became effective in September 2011, a few weeks after classes resumed for the year at the academy.

Senior LGBT midshipmen who are USNA Out members organized the annual event, a tradition which began in 2009. Naval Academy faculty and staff members and representatives of the Naval Academy Alumni Association also attended at the invitation of the midshipmen. During the event, the midshipmen met with LGBT USNA alumni from classes spanning six decades, including active duty and retired officers. The dinner was hosted at the residence of an USNA Out member who resides in the Annapolis area.

Throughout the event, alumni offered their insights about the exciting careers the senior midshipmen will soon commence and also encouraged all of the midshipmen to do their best in preparing to serve as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps. Following the traditional cutting of the cake by the most senior and most junior members present (Classes of 1961 and 2017), the Deputy Commandant of Midshipmen gave the keynote address reminding the graduating class to apply their Naval Academy training when they enter the Fleet and of their unique responsibilities as leaders in the Navy. An alumnus then presented each senior with Navy ensign insignia to wear following commissioning. The insignia will symbolically remind recent graduates serving the nation that the LGBT alumni stand behind them with pride. The evening closed with a singing of the Naval Academy alma mater “Navy Blue and Gold,” led by past and present members of the Naval Academy Glee Club in attendance.

As part of the dinner, He has been a USNA Out member since its founding in 2003 and its chairman of the board since 2009.

Since 2005, individual USNA Out members have donated more than $130,000 in private contributions directly to the USNA Foundation. According to Henderson, “Even before DADT’s repeal, many USNA Out members individually supported our alma mater because we believed in its special mission to provide leaders for the Naval Service and the nation. Their donations and those like USNA Out’s help fund school programs that provide a margin of excellence beyond what the government provides. And with organizations such as USNA Out, I anticipate more alumni will rejuvenate their relationships with USNA, their classmates and other alumni. For the vast majority of alumni, USNA played a significant role in our lives.”

“According to the feedback we have received from our midshipmen members, gay and lesbian midshipmen feel more comfortable and no longer must separate their personal identity from their professional identity” said USNA Out Executive Director retired Cdr. Steve Hall, of San Francisco (USNA Class of 1975). “They now can singularly focus on being good junior officers in the fleet like all of their classmates. We think that’s good for USNA, the Navy and Marine Corps, and the country on many levels.” Hall served on active duty for 20 years and commanded two nuclear powered attack submarines during his Navy career.

USNA Out officials report that DADT repeal appears to be going without incident for alumni on active duty and for midshipmen at the academy. According to Hall “The overwhelming feedback from our alumni out in the fleet is that repeal has been implemented without problems and in those instances where gay and lesbian alumni have told shipmates, there hasn’t been a problem. I think that’s what we expected. Sailors and Marines judge our alumni based on their performance, not their orientation.”

USNA Out is an independent organization established in August 2003 following discussions by various groups of LGBT alumni about how they could become more involved as alumni of the Naval Academy. The group organized as a 501(c)(3) in late 2009.

USNA Out currently has 330 members, including 73 active duty alumni serving in the fleet. USNA Out currently counts 32 midshipmen identifying as gay, lesbian or bisexual at the Naval Academy who are official members of USNA Out. Hall added, “We know there are more gay, lesbian and bisexual midshipmen simply based on the demographics of the Naval Academy, which draws students from the population of the U.S at-large. However, identifying as LGBT is a personal decision based on many factors Regardless, we as LGBT alumni have and will continue to be there to support them.”

USNA Out’s mission and objectives are available at www.usnaout.org/mission. For more information about USNA Out, visit www.usnaout.org.

–USNA Out–
Continue reading “4/15/2014 – Naval Academy LGBT Alumni Honor Class of 2014”

USNA Out brings 2013 to a close with another year of very strong member support of the Naval Academy. Individual and joint contributions exceeded $23,000 for the year, our second strongest ever from our members only exceeded in the celebratory year that the cruel policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ended.

In 2011, USNA Out provided the organization’s first unrestricted gift to the US Naval Academy Foundation. In 2012, pooled gifts by the membership provided a $4,000 gift via the foundation to provide seed funding to the Navy Spectrum.
Continue reading “2013 – Another Year of Strong Support to USNA”

The USNA Out film “OUT of ANNAPOLIS” is now on the Naval Academy’s Video-on-Demand (VoD) system for private viewing by Midshipmen, Faculty & Staff. Those with access to the Naval Academy’s VoD system on the Yard may view the film via THIS LINK TO THE FILM.

OUT of ANNAPOLIS first screened at the Naval Academy in a yard-wide presentation in the Mahan Hall Auditorium 25 April 2011, five months before the era of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” came to an end. The film has since been used in classes and been presented in several follow up yard-wide screenings for midshipmen, faculty and staff.

For those who ask “When will OUT of ANNAPOLIS be available for the public to watch via VoD, netflix, etc,” … the answer is “as soon as we complete research on how that is done.” This remains a high priority by the production crew.
Continue reading “12/5/2013 – OUT of ANNAPOLIS now VoD @USNA”

Editors’ Note

7/12/2013


The views expressed in this news story are those of the author. USNA Out does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement or other information provided.

USNA Out members Brian Bender ‘93, Joe Soto ‘83, and Jeff Morrison ‘04 and their friends and family completed the 5K Out-Fit Challenge on Saturday, June 29, 2013. The mud-run was held in conjunction with the New York City LGBT Pride in Tuxedo National Park approximately one hour outside New York City.

This Out-Fit Challenge is allegedly the first ever national LGBT mud-run. USNA Out members were at the starting line for the inaugural event. The six of us worked as a team helping one another over, under and through thirteen muddy obstacles completing the race hand-in-hand across the finish line. “No Man Left Behind,” a concept ingrained in us at USNA, still holds true.

The Out-Fit Challenge supports charities that are making a significant difference in the lives of LGBT individuals across the US.   The goal is to support one national charity and one local charity in every city at which they hold an event. We USNA Out members are proud to have completed this challenging event while at the same time support charities important and relevant to our community.

It was USNA Out that brought us together first as alumni, and then as friends. Although we hail from three distinctly different decades of alumni, we have that strong common bond of Annapolis that means so much, particularly as LGBT alumni.

BZ team!

-Jeff Morrison ‘04
Continue reading “6/29/2013 – USNA Out at the NY 5K Out-Fit Challenge”

Many of our San Diego alumni gathered together in our second and largest San Diego/SoCal gathering.

USNA Out members can Log-in to read more about the evening in the members only version of this story.

Editors’ Note


USNA Out gatherings are great means for us to come together, and in turn, do our part to support our mission and the mission of the Naval Academy. If you are interested in organizing a local USNA Out get-together in your area, please let us know!
Continue reading “6/25/2013 – San Diego Hail & Farewell”

---

What does USNA Out have to do with the film festivals? Not much, other than our own film OUT of ANNAPOLIS had its West Coast Premeir at Frameline 34 and did the full LGBT film festival circuit, and we know firsthand how films can change lives and minds.

This year’s festival at Frameline got off to a great start and that strength continued through the festival A few films that we can strongly recommend for our USNA LGBT audiences because of how they can relate so some of our members..

Our Festival Favorites

Free Fall (Freier Fall) -Narrative feature – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2617828 – Two men attend the Police Academy together, and later end up in the same precinct. As their forbidden love progresses, their lives become more and more intertwined and difficult, especially as one is the father of a newborn and has to explain his inattention to his wife, who suspects something is not quite right in their relationship.

Substitute Police Academy for Naval Academy and US Navy or Marine Corps for Baden-Württemberg police, and this is the story of many of our members. This show demonstrates how continuing to live against your sexual desires results in hurting a lot of people, particularly those whom you love the most in life.

(In German with English subtitles, gratuitous tobacco abuse)

The Out List (HBO) -Documentary – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2617828 – High profile members of today’s LGBTQ community reveal their struggles and triumphs of being “Out” in America. A well done documentary that has much to which many of our USNA Out member will be able to relate.

This film was televised on HBO beginning on Thursday, June 27th.

Burning Blue Written in 1992 by DMW Greer USNA ’80, a former Naval Aviator, the stage play of Burning Blue premiered to great critical acclaim on the London Fringe at the King’s Head Theater in early 1995 before transferring to The Theatre Royal Haymarket on the West End where the production received two Olivier Awards. Since then, it has been seen by more than 100,000 people in multiple productions around the world from Tel Aviv to Paris. Drawn from the Author’s life, this funny, deeply compelling and tragic love story set against the backdrop of the US Navy was shot entirely in New York City.

Film website: http://www.burningbluefilm.com/
Film teaser: http://vimeo.com/36794000
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1811307/
Film director DMW Greer Bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DMW_Greer

Written and directed by USNA Alum David Greer and a leading role played by USNA Alum Rob Moyes ’08.

---

Festival Award Winners

Juried Awards

Best Documentary:

Winner: Valentine Road.
Honorable Mention: Big Joy
Honorable Mention: The New Black

Wells Fargo Juried First Feature Award ($7,500)
Winner: “Out in the Dark”
Special Mention: Compassion

Audience Favorite Awards

Short: dik
Documentary: The New Black
Feature: Reaching for the Moon

The is the second year that we have provide a report from the Frameline Festival. See our review of Films at Frameline 36.
Continue reading “6/29/2012 – Steve & Paul’s Frameline 37 Film Festival Favorites”

[This page is not indexed. This page is a publicly accessible version of a members only page. It has been made so that the three nonmembers can view the content. Please do not link]

So how’s the Cow?

USNA Out got heads up on three LGBT appointees to the Class of 2017 from three different sources. A big thanks to those USNA Out members who tipped us off.

To “welcome” the three appointees, USNA Out presented each of them a copy of Reef Points with a short recommended reading list on rates that they will need to eventually know by the end of their upcoming Plebe Summer. Just as younger siblings get the advantage of learning from their older brothers or sisters, our family of LGBT future midshipmen should have that same advantage.

So what’s best way to get up on your Plebe Rates??

OR perhaps

Perhaps we should have included a synopsis of the mutagenic effects of ultraviolet radiation.

The three candidates will all be issued their own personal copy of Reef Points 2013-2014 on I–Day. We hope that the Class of 2017 will help us “pass down” the tradition of welcoming the LGB appointees about whom we know each year before the Class of 2018 begins their first summer at USNA.

Appointees are not eligible to join USNA Out until after they have taken the Oath of Office as a Midshipman, and then, they will be without the ability to communicate until after Plebe Parent’s Weekend at the end of the summer.

Continue reading “[non-indexed page] USNA Out Welcomes the Class of 2017”