Senior Chief Petty Officer Timothy McVeigh

is battling his employer, the U.S. Navy. After 17 years, he had risen to the position of top enlisted man on a nuclear submarine. Last year, the Navy suspended him for being gay. McVeigh's America Online profile says he's gay, but like most AOL customers, he is listed under a screen name, not his own name. The Navy uncovered his identity by phoning AOL and asking for his real identity. AOL gave out the information, in violation of its own policies. A federal judge has ordered the Navy to put McVeigh back in his old job. The Navy plans to appeal the order.

In the meantime, McVeigh is considering taking the Navy to court for contempt. Twice, since U.S. District Court Judge Stanley Sporkin's Jan. 29 ruling requiring reinstatement, the Navy has filled McVeigh's old job on other submarines without offering the job to him.

McVeigh, who is not related to the man convicted of the Oklahoma City bombing, believes his suspension violates both the U.S. Defense Department's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy (because the Navy asked AOL for his identity) and the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act (because AOL revealed his identity).

We asked him to tell us what happened.

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Job
Senior Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy, formerly the Chief of the Boat on the USS Chicago (SSN-721)

Home
Hawaii

Family
Single

College/degree
Not yet.

Career
17 years with the United States Navy

First Computer
NEC 75-MHz Pentium

How and Why I Got On The Internet
Got on AOL in April of 1995

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Optimistic Statement About The Internet
Using the Internet, people can learn and see a multitude of things that they might otherwise never be able to. This is a great opportunity.

Pessimistic Statement About The Internet
The government and Internet providers seems to be fighting for more access to use information about individuals using the Internet. This information will only be used for their benefit and not yours, at a time they feel is appropriate.

My Most Recent Accomplishment
Having Judge Stanley Sporkin, of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., rule that the Navy had violated the spirit and regulations of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue" policy and thereby preventing my discharge.