Soldier of the Year: The Story of a Gay American Patriot

"Soldier of the Year," by Jose Zuniga, is the memoir of a United States Army soldier who was discharged after publicly announcing he was gay. Zuniga was a decorated veteran of the Persian Gulf War who had attained the rank of sergeant. The title alludes to a significant military honor bestowed upon him: being named Sixth U.S. Army Soldier of the Year in 1993. This memoir covers his life from his birth in 1969 to the end of his military career in 1993. Zuniga's story is consistently interesting and compelling. But I found the writing style often irritating and distracting. The whole thing has a self-absorbed, adolescent flavor to it (understandable, perhaps, when one considers that the author was only 25 years old when the book was published). The prose is at times sickeningly flowery, at times annoyingly bombastic. He seems to be trying too hard to sound either learned or clever (such as when he calls a group of military personnel a "coven of courtesans"). Sometimes he just sounds bitter and childish (as when he mocks Senator Strom Thurmond's hair). The stylistic flaws of the book are particularly regrettable because they detract from the many important issues he raises. Zuniga discusses his combat zone service as both a military journalist and a medic. He also covers his stateside tours of duty. He paints an often searing portrait of a gay soldier's closeted life. One of the most fascinating sections of the book involves the question as to whether or not he improperly wore an Army award ribbon on his uniform during a public appearance; this material, including a fascinating appendix to the main text, gives readers a glimpse into the practical inner workings of the Army. Also significant is Zuniga's account of his public activism and his own evolving relationship with the larger lesbian and gay community. Along the way, Zuniga cites a number of other American military personnel who have publicly challenged the ban against gay people serving openly. He also cites Randy Shilts' monumental history of gays in the military, "Conduct Unbecoming." Despite the book's flaws, I consider it a valuable document in the significant body of works that deal with the controversial issue of gays in the military. For a military "coming out" memoir by a much more seasoned soldier, I recommend "Serving in Silence," by Margarethe Cammermeyer.