Badpuppy Gay Today

Thursday, 27 March, 1997

John Hoffman, 51, who worked at Willow Grove, a Philadelphia area base, confided in 1995 to his long-time friend and office supervisor that he was gay. His friend, reportedly, betrayed him and he was made to fear, after being stripped of his uniform, dismissal from the military and loss of his pension. Resigning, therefore, still he had no suspicion he'd be fired from his civilian job as well, one where he worked as an on-base mechanic. When he was dismissed, the ACLU assisted him in the launching of a first assault on the Pentagon's right to rout openly gay civilians as it does openly gay military personnel. (See Archives, March 4, 1997, Events).

Now, a Federal district judge in Philadelphia has ruled that Air Force Reserve officials do not have to re-hire Hoffman. Married, with 8 children, Hoffman "has been made destitute by this," said an ACLU lawyer. As a test of the Pentagon's treatment of civilian employees who admit that they are gay, the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union plans to appeal the case. The Pentagon is not known to have any policy banning the employment of lesbians, gay or bisexual civilians.

Air Force Reserve officials explain they will not discuss a case in which legal disputes are still alive. The ACLU contends that the Air Force discriminated against Mr. Hoffman when it dismissed him from his civilian post.

Judge Joseph L. McGlynn, Jr., says Air Force officials acted properly because the policies of the military do not allow civilians on base unless they are reservists. Under the constitution, argues the ACLU, a civilian has the right to define himself as "a sexual human being."

The Navy, in marked contrast to the policies of the Air Force, prohibits sexual-preference discrimination against civilian employees. It was hoped that this test case would force the Air Force to make a similar, more civilized adaptation.

Hoffman has been seeking jobs at Willow Grove, but has found himself unwelcome in any position on the base, according to his lawyer.

Dr. Franklin E. Kameny, the pioneering militant who first helped to launch two decades of legal assaults on anti-gay Pentagon policies, told GayToday he favors an activist approach to dealing with base commanders, and investigators pressing such cases. Activism, he said, and not just polite courtroom debate, should be brought to bear on such cases. "They (the military brass) are depriving the military of the services of highly competent individuals," he said, "people of proven ability to contribute, thereby lowering the quality of the Service. Such lowering obviously gives aid and comfort to our enemies. But that is the constitutional definition of treason. Therefore we should be terming these people the traitors that they are and broadcasting that fact."