Drawing on more than a decade of research and hundreds of interviews, Nathaniel Frank exposes the military's policy toward gays and lesbians as the damaging one that it is and demonstrates that "don't ask, don't tell" must be replaced with an outright reversal of the gay ban. One of the nation's leading experts on gays in the military, Frank's even-handed and always scrupulously documented chronicle shows how the ban on open gays and lesbians in the U.S. military has greatly increased discharges, hampered recruitment, and--contrary to the rationale offered by proponents of the ban--led to lower morale and cohesion within military ranks. The author presents indisputable evidence showing that gays already serve openly in the U.S. military without causing problems, and that the policy itself is weakening the military it was supposed to protect. Part history, part expose, and fully revealing, "Unfriendly Fire" is sure to make the blood boil of any American who cares about national security, the right to speak the truth, or just plain common sense and fairness.

Author Biography

Nathaniel Frank is senior research fellow at the Palm Center at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and teaches history on the adjunct faculty at New York University's Gallatin School. His publications on gays in the military and other topics have appeared in "The""New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, Slate, Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, Newsday"," ""Philadelphia Inquirer, Lingua Franca, "and others, and his research and opinions have been cited on the congressional floor, in syndicated columns, in the blogosphere, the "New York Post"," The Advocate, ""National Review Online"," " the AP, and other venues, including university syllabi and media roundups. Frank earned his Ph.D. and M.A. in history at Brown University. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.