As a personal friend of Brett Jones, I have to admit my bias in admiring his courage and coming out as the openly gay Navy SEAL. His story details his entire story – from growing up in a military family through defying the odds and the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy to becoming a Navy SEAL.
In his book, he respects conservative values as a homosexual navigating the changes of current social instability in America and demands the revaluation of American norms regarding the acceptance and placement of homosexuals in society, work, and national narratives.
Brett enabled readers to understand the unbelievable emotional and physical investments on his road to military inclusion in addition to the deep feelings for his comrades paired with his humanistic love and understanding for an organization that threatened to abandon and discredit him. Brett’s book serves as a missing link that helps bridge the ever-growing popularity of gay marriage and traditional values.
Born into a military family, Brett Jones spent his early life travelling around the world, living in the shadows of the Iron Curtain, the Korean Demilitarized Zone, and the Pyramids of Egypt. Becoming a Navy SEAL was a dream and he beat the odds to join the elite force, serving with distinction for nearly a decade. He served in two harrowing six-month deployments with SEAL Team 8, later becoming a plank owner of SEAL Team 10.
Brett received numerous awards and commendations during his Navy tenure, but was forced out of the closet, becoming the first openly gay Navy SEAL on active duty. After his honorable discharge in 2003, he continued his fight in the war against terror as a security contractor, eventually leaving Hampton Roads.
Brett currently resides in northern Alabama with his husband, former police sergeant Jason White, and their son. Together they founded and operate Riley Security, which continually raises the bar on private security in Alabama through its groundbreaking training program, exceptional hiring processes, and tireless dedication to their customers.
His book is available to order from Brett’s website.
