WASHINGTON 鈥� It鈥檚 an emotional homecoming for former midshipman Louis Feuchtbaum, who is attending his 30th reunion at the U.S. Naval Academy this weekend. It鈥檚 his first visit back since the military ended its ban on openly gay service members.
As Louis Feuchtbaum walked around the campus, he shared many memories from his time as a midshipman in the 1980s, but unfortunately, not all are fond memories.
鈥淚 always had to worry about having it discovered that I鈥檓 gay,鈥� he said.
After graduating and spending several years in the Navy, Feuchtbaum resigned from the service, fearing if he remained, he would never have a meaningful personal life.
On Friday, Feuchtbaum returned to the campus for the reunion, and it鈥檚 the first time he felt completely comfortable hugging his husband Renzo Perez, on academy grounds, as the two posed for pictures in front of Bancroft Hall.
鈥淭his truly feels like a homecoming; I don鈥檛 feel the stigma that I once felt here,鈥� Feuchtbaum said.
A graduate of the class of 1986, Feuchtbaum, of San Francisco, California, was proud to be a midshipman, and had always wanted to graduate from the academy, but he knew to do that, he would have to keep his sexual preference a secret.
During that time, Feuchtbaum said the Navy would investigate what it called 鈥渁llegations of homosexuality.鈥� In order to graduate, he was forced to pretend he was someone that he was not.
鈥淭he idea that I had to do it, by misrepresenting what I am to classmates, was something that always troubled me,鈥� Feuchtbaum said.
During his time at the academy, he didn鈥檛 think there was anyone else like him on campus, but he later learned he wasn鈥檛 alone.
鈥淚 have plenty of classmates who are gay, but I didn鈥檛 know that at the time,鈥� he said.
Feuchtbaum said the academy is an amazing place, and he urges midshipmen to cherish their time at the school, telling them to “go out and serve honorably.”
Editor’s Note:聽Louis Feuchtbaum is 草莓传媒聽Hillary Howard’s brother.
