You may remember the story of Steve Crowston, an ensign in the US Navy, who filed anti-gay harassment complaints last year against his commanding officer after being taunted with nicknames such as “Gay Boy,” “Fagmeister,” “Cowgirl,” and “Romo’s Bitch.” Crowston claimed that, after filing the complaint, he was then unfarily reprimanded. An investigation by the US Navy has now concluded that he was indeed the victim of reprisal.
The The Virginian-Pilot reports:
"In a Feb. 2 letter to Crowston, the Navy IG said its investigation found that he was improperly punished because of his complaints. A letter from the Defense Department IG to the Navy IG, sent two weeks earlier, states that the Defense Department reviewed the Navy's investigation and supports its conclusions."
"'Based on our review, we agree that Cmdr. Liam Bruen, Commanding Officer, Strike Fighter Squadron 136, issued Ensign Crowston an unfavorable fitness report in reprisal for his protected communications,' the Defense Department letter says. Christopher, who is not named in either letter, is now the commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 136, which is deployed aboard the Norfolk-based aircraft carrier Enterprise. Bruen is assigned to the carrier John C. Stennis."
"Neither of them could be reached Wednesday. Crowston said he considers the IG findings an overdue victory. "I've always known it was reprisal," said Crowston, now at Naval Special Warfare Group 2 at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek. "There are rules against reprisal, and they were broken. It was time for the Navy to acknowledge that." The Navy IG letter says Crowston may now petition to have the bad performance report removed from his file."
