NEW ORLEANS, La. — Thirty years after being imprisoned for his sexual orientation, a gay Air Force veteran is still battling for recognition and justice despite President Joe Biden’s historic pardon initiative aimed at service members convicted of LGBTQ+ identity-related offenses.
Steve Marose, now 58, was convicted in 1990 while serving as an Air Force officer at a base in Louisiana. He served 18 months in federal prison for consensual same-sex sodomy and conduct unbecoming an officer, convictions stemming from what he describes as a “witch hunt” by military investigators.
“I’m just glad the day has come,” Marose said in June after Biden announced the pardons. But months later, his optimism has turned to frustration over what he calls a complicated, narrow, and invasive pardon process.
A Legacy of Discrimination
Marose’s ordeal began after he became entangled in an investigation of another gay service member. He recalled returning home to find military investigators ransacking his apartment, where they discovered a hidden stash of gay porn magazines.
“They were going on a witch hunt,” Marose told the Seattle Times, recalling his commander’s threats of additional charges if he didn’t cooperate. Facing up to 17 years in prison, Marose pled guilty to consensual sodomy and related charges to avoid a harsher sentence.
Sentenced to two years, Marose served 18 months at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. The conviction has haunted him ever since, leading to repeated job rejections and ongoing stigma.
A Complicated Path to Pardon
President Biden’s June announcement of a “full, complete and unconditional pardon” for service members convicted under discriminatory policies brought hope to veterans like Marose. But the reality of the process has proven far less straightforward.
Unlike individual pardons, Biden’s initiative issued a mass pardon for service members convicted of consensual same-sex sodomy or discharged due to their LGBTQ+ identity. However, the burden of applying falls on the veterans themselves, requiring them to navigate a complex and invasive process.
The application spans 26 pages and includes questions about personal finances, family life, community involvement, work history, substance use, and more. Applicants must provide letters of recommendation from non-relatives and explain why they are seeking a pardon.
“Oh my God. I may not even qualify for this,” Marose told The War Horse, reflecting on the daunting requirements.
Slow Progress and Unanswered Questions
To date, only eight former service members have applied for pardons under Biden’s initiative. The Department of Defense has pledged to streamline the process and proactively identify eligible veterans, but progress has been slow.
The War Horse filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking transparency on the pardon process, but the Department of Defense has not yet fulfilled the request as of 12/6/24.
For veterans like Marose, the lack of clarity and efficiency is deeply frustrating. “It sounds like it’s very broad, that thousands of people will be positively impacted,” he said. “But when you look under the hood, it’s much different.”
Moving Forward
The Department of Defense has promised reforms to ensure a more transparent and timely pardon process. Meanwhile, advocates are calling for greater support for veterans seeking pardons, many of whom continue to face discrimination and hardship due to their convictions.
Marose remains determined to see his record cleared, not just for himself but for countless others impacted by the military’s history of discrimination. “This is about justice and recognizing the harm that was done,” he said.
For now, Marose’s fight is a reminder of the long road toward equality for LGBTQ+ service members and the enduring impact of policies rooted in prejudice.
