"I told the truth and got kicked out, versus lying and staying in." (Audio interview, 24:40)

Cristina A. Frisby

Cristina Frisby at time of military service [n.d.] War: Cold War; Iraq War, 2003-2011 Branch: Navy; Army Unit: 640th Aviation Support Battalion, 42nd Infantry Division; Army National Guard Service Location: Annapolis; also: Iraq Rank: Sergeant

Like many 18-year-old “plebes,” Sergeant Cristina Frisby was overwhelmed by the challenges of her first year at the Naval Academy. Falling ill and behind in her coursework, she resigned—only to be confronted with an inquiry into her sexual orientation. Leaving the Academy, she felt the agony of being denied her lifelong dream of military service because of who she was, and because of her honesty in speaking about it. Her dedication to military service was so strong that she persevered, joining the California National Guard after the terrorist attacks of September 11, in the hopes that she could be of some help to her country. Deploying to Iraq in 2005, she served as a recovery driver, a tow truck driver who aided disabled vehicles (many of which had been hit by IEDs). Her oral history interview is supplemented by over 300 photographs and a handful of home movies, which offer a fascinating glimpse into her day-to-day life in Iraq.