Why I wrote This Op Ed
The below article ran in Navy Times yesterday. I had been working on it for several months, and on a whim shot it to Navy Times, who has been kind enough to publish a few others over the years. I knew that it would be controversial, but I felt it was important to show support for the many peers (GS and Active Duty) who shared similar feedback and emotions. And old shipmate - an IC specialist- gave me the compass idea, and it just clicked.
I’ve been inundated with PMs not just by connections but others who read it and said “thank you”. I’m surprised how many active duty folks have reached out to say they are struggling. One shared that watching a Trans friend and shipmate get separated was “the low point of my career”. Many are using therapy to reconcile their differences with orders they feel conflicted about following.
I always said “I can’t change the Navy, but I can change it for the Sailors who work for me by doing the right thing all the time”. For those of you in the trenches, I support you and wish you the best. Your Sailors NEED you. Thanks for reading!
