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USNA Out Members Attend the “President’s Circle Weekend”

Top photo:  USNA Out members Jeff Petrie ’89
Joe Soto ’83 & Eric Shangle ’97
with SUPT VADM Fowler
USNA Alumni Assn photo by Debbie Latta

Four members of USNA Out — Steve Clark Hall ’75, Joe Soto ’83, Eric Shangle ’97 and Jeff Petrie ’89, attended the USNA Foundation’s 2008 President’s Circle Weekend in Annapolis. In addition to an awesome comeback win by Navy over Temple in football, all four attendees agreed that we had a truly successful weekend and a great time!

This was the third straight year in which USNA Out Members attended the President’s Circle Weekend events. Eric Shangle ’97 and his classmate Thomas were the only two attendees who had graduated in the past 15 years. Because of our relative youth among the participants, USNA Out members stood “OUT” in the crowd.

USNA Out member Eric Shangle ’97
with Classmate Thomas Strenge ’97
at the Halloween reception in the
new Westly Brown Field House
USNA Alumni Assn photo by Debbie Latta

The events of the weekend serve to recognize and thank major donors the the USNA Foundation. The ambitious schedule included business meetings, cocktail receptions, tours of facilities, the final Fall Formal Dress Parade, and a delightful “Halloween Concert” in the chapel featuring the Naval Academy choruses performing to the accompaniment of the mighty M.P. Möller pipe organ.

USNA Out members Joe Soto ’83 and
Jeff Petrie ’89 with Thomas Strenge ’97
at the Navy-Temple gamC

All USNA Out members who have the financial resources to join the USNA Foundation’s President’s Circle are strongly encouraged to do so. By attending events such as the President’s Circle Weekend, we demonstrate that our commitment to excellence at the academy is as strong as (or stronger than) that of our contemporaries. And by doing so, we put a very positive face on who we really are here at USNA Out.

USNA Out members Jeff Petrie ’89,
Steve Clark Hall ’75, Eric Shangle ’97
USNA Out friend Thomas Strenge ’97
and Joe Soto ’83 had front
row seats for USNA Halloween Concert
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Lou Adissi’s 20 Year Weekend

Just a quick update on my 20 year Reunion held last week. First off we beat Rutgers. Go Navy!!! Not that I watched the game. My classmates and I were behind the scoreboard drinking like fish and catching up on 20 years.

I will say I was a little nervous going back being gay and all those fears were alleviated fast. Everyone knew and everyone was asking where my partner was. I was more aware that I was single than being the only gay guy there. Well it turns out I wasn’t the only gay guy. Deric Camarigg was there, as seen in the photo.

This was my first reunion, and I will never miss one again. I can’t wait for the 25th, and I recommend you do your best to attend your reunions. It brought back so many good memories and it was wonderful to see my buddies doing so well.

BEAT ARMY!!!!
Lou ’88

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USNA Out at the Annapolis 10 Miler – August 24th

How about a little motivation to stay in shape throughout the summer? USNA Out is recruiting you to run in the Annapolis 10 Miler at the end of August. If you are not a runner, then come out and be a cheerleader or a tailgate host. Jeff has already promised cosmos at the finish!

Check out the info page at: http://annapolisstriders.org/A10Info2008.htm (The finishers jacket is worth the price of running 10 miles)

Barb has looked into getting “USNA Out” micro fiber shirts printed for the event. Cost will depend on the quantity ordered but will be $20 or less. Even if you are not running or cheering and would like a shirt, let her know.

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Naval Academy Admissions Outreach Conference

In early May 2008 the Naval Academy hosted its 10th Annual Admissions Outreach Conference. The title of this year’s event was, “Diversity: Built on a Solid Foundation, Forging a Stronger Future.” Disappointingly, still today gay and lesbian midshipmen are forced to compromise their honor and integrity on a daily basis — as required by the military’s embarrassing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy — and create a heterosexual facade lest their truth be discovered, resulting in shameful separation from USNA. No one at the Academy dares to take a leadership role in changing the outdated policy that is an embarrassment to our nation. In the past, Academy leaders have pretended that we do not exist within the Brigade of Midshipmen. In the hopes of bringing a mature perspective to a childish personnel policy, two of us USNA Out members attended the Admissions Outreach Conference. What follows is our account of how the two days unfolded:

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Campus Pride’s LGBT-focused College Admissions Fair – UC San Diego

Campus Pride at US San Diego

USNA Out participated in the second-ever college admissions fair aimed at LGBT high schoolers at UC San Diego. For most of the 45 participating colleges — such as Princeton University, Stanford University, Yale, Penn State, and UC San Diego — the event was a perfect opportunity for them to advertise their fair and equal policies in recruiting the best and brightest of young gay Americans. USNA Out members attended to informed young gay Americans of the pros and cons of pursuing an appointment to a United States service academy.

Mike Foye ’81 and Stewart Bornhoft USMA ’69

Shane Windmeyer, Executive Director of Campus Pride, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based organization whose mission is to make American college campuses safer for LGBT students, gave us accolades and was very appreciative of our involvement:

“Hey guys! Thanks for all your support and participation! Please keep in touch. We will be having the fair again at UCSD!”

Mike Foye ’81 and Stewart Bornhoft USMA ’69 — who along with Larry Wood ’86 produced our portion of the event –have composed a post-report that I think does a very good job of summing things up for us:

“This is a new event so they are still working out the bugs. Glad we participated, though.

“We talked with many of the nearly 60 students who attended. Because they were more interested in discussions with individual college reps than in a sit-down briefing, however, and because the layout of the ballroom put the briefing area behind a partition on the opposite side of the room from the main stage, three of the four planned presentations (including ours and the Campus Pride Organizers themselves) were canceled. Interestingly, we did have several of the Admissions reps express an interest in learning more about DADT and its impact. The only brief that was given was the one on financial aid to the individuals actually receiving the assistance.

“Notwithstanding the drawbacks, this was a noteworthy first for USNA Out. We let people know that we exist. We should seriously consider participating next year.”

It was my pleasure to draft an email to George Watt, Skid Heyworth, and CDR Austin (the PAO at the Naval Academy) to give them a head’s up about our participation in the event. Not surprisingly, I did not hear back from any of them.

The event was written up in at least a few locations online, including “Out in San Diego” and the “Daily Tar Heel” (out of North Carolina).

THANK YOU to Mike Foye ’81, Hubert Dorsett ’66, Larry Wood ’86, Stewart Bornhoft USMA ’69 and Tom Carpenter ’70 for making this happen!

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Second USNA Out “National Meeting” held in Annapolis & San Francisco

Left Coast – Paul Culver ’74,
Linda Postenrieder ’82, Jeff Petrie ’89 (seated)
Steve Clark Hall ’75, Eric Shangle ’97,
Greer Pucket ’75, Joe Soto ’83

The second USNA Out “National Meeting” was held on Army-Navy Friday, 30 November 2007 in Memorial Hall. Seven alumni were able to attend the a second “Left Coast Edition” of the national meeting held in San Francisco on Sunday, 16 December.
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USNA Out Members Attend the “President’s Circle Weekend”

Photo above: Joe Soto ’83 with some of the Midshipmen
attending the Superintendent’s Garden Party.

Steve Hall ’75 with classmate Jimmy Jackson on a YP cruise

USNA Out members Joe Soto ’83 and Steve Clark Hall ’75 attended the USNA President’s Circle Weekend events in Annapolis. This is the second President’s Circle weekend where representatives from USNA Out have attended.The three day event hosted by the USNA Foundation was held in Annapolis.

The U.S. Naval Academy Foundation welcomes the opportunity each year to celebrate and recognize the contributions of its leading donors. President’s Circle Weekend is just one way in which the Academy has the privilege of saying “thank you.”

The event gave USNA Out members an opportunity to meet and mingle with others whose commitment to the U.S. Naval Academy is proven by their generosity. Along with hearing about the state of the Academy from the Superintendent and his leadership staff, there was a packed weekend agenda of festivities.

All USNA Out members who have the financial resources to become a member of the USNA Foundation President’s Circle are strongly encouraged to do so. By attending events such as the President’s Circle weekend, we demonstrate that our commitment to excellence at the academy is as strong as our contemporaries. And by doing so, we put a very positive face on who we really are here at USNA Out.

USNA Out ceased operations in 2022. This website has been archived for historical purposes.

USNA Pride, a Shared Interest Group of the US Naval Academy Alumni Association, now serves the community of proud LGBTQ+ and allied alumni.

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