| | |  | Books | Home » » » » Ask & Tell: Gay and Lesbian Veterans Speak Out | | | | | | | Description: | | Don't Ask, Don't Tell was the directive of President Clinton's 1993 military policy regarding gay and lesbian soldiers. This volume recovers the lost voices of those who served in silence, offering a rich chronicle of the history of gay and lesbian service in the U.S. military from World War II to the Iraq War. Drawing on more than 50 interviews with gay and lesbian veterans, Estes charts the evolution of policy toward homosexuals in the military over the past 65 years, uncovering the ways that silence about sexuality and military service has affected the identities of gay veterans. Far from undermining national security, unit cohesion, or troop morale, Estes demonstrates, these veterans strengthened the U.S. military in times of war and peace. He also examines challenges to the ban on homosexual service, placing them in the context of the wider movement for gay rights and gay liberation. | | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Steve Estes | | Hardcover:
| 296 pages | | Publisher:
| The University of North Carolina Press | | Publication Date:
| May 14, 2007 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 0807831158 | | Package Length:
| 9.4 inches | | Package Width:
| 6.3 inches | | Package Height:
| 1.1 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.3 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 4 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 4 customer reviews )
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5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
Revealing personal accounts of gay veterans who have served with honor in the US militaryJun 15, 2007
By Lifelong Reader
Very readable oral histories of the lives of gays who have served honorably in our country's armed forces. This book helps those of us who are not gay to understand the added stresses placed on gays who desire a military career by the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. It reveals the devotion of many of these men and women to their careers in the armed forces and the conflicts they experienced in living fulfilling personal lives while performing their military duties with excellence. I would recommend it to both gay and straight readers as a historical accounting with pertinence to our country's ongoing dialogue on integration of gay citizens into the fabric of our national life.
6 of 7 found the following review helpful:
A TreasureJul 09, 2007
By Brian Hughes
"Former Sergeant, U.S. Ranger"
Full disclosure: I am one of the veterans fetured in "Ask and Tell". I do not know the author personally, and I have no financial interest in this book. With that out of the way...
Steve Estes has done a remarkable job. Through the personal accounts of dozens of gay veterans, the author has woven a coherent and compelling narrative. His subjects span every military branch and rank, every kind of family background and all corners of the U.S. They are endearing, instructive and always entertaining. Their stories show just how capricious military policy on homosexuality has been: some serve openly and honorably, others, no less honorable, are hounded out of the service with an indelible stain on their records and on their lives.
It's always a pleasure to swap war stories with fellow vets, young and old. This collection is now a part of that time-honored tradition. Reading it, I felt like those men and women were talking right to me. Their stories conjured so many memories in me - of basic training, barracks life, sexual politics and, yes, war - that I know I will take great delight in reading and re-reading this book for many years to come.
Important historical book...especially interesting since the move to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"Sep 15, 2011
By Paige Turner
"Film Fanatic"
This book is now, but will be of even greater historical significance once "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is repealed. It consists of oral histories of 50 gay and lesbian veterans who served in the military, starting from WWII and the Greatest Generation up to present day Iraq and Afghanistan. Also included are the military academies and a section on women's fight to serve on the front line instead of being relegated to office clerks and secretaries. The veterans' stories are compelling, interesting and it gives the reader just how slowly things have changed for generations of gays and lesbians serving our country. These veterans not only faced the pressure of enemy fire, but also homophobia and prejudice from within. It takes people of great strength and resolve to endure all of this. I can't imagine the stress they faced during the time they served.
Hopefully with the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", things will start to improve. This is an important book, especially since most of the veterans from WWII and the Korean War have passed on. But their stories will live on, thanks to the author, Mr. Estes. It is too bad a book couldn't have been written exclusively about WWII veterans.
Great read for any service member, especially homosexual onesJan 05, 2011
By GSM
I read this the summer before I left for my first deployment. It is not just a great read for those interested in learning more about the life of gay service members over time, it is a great resource of personal accounts and service member's experiences over times. I really enjoyed reading about what military life was like during other wars in this format.
It is a great read for gay service members especially! It will make you feel much more normal to hear about other service members with similar experiences and how they managed.
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