Joshua Jacob Hoffman

Segment Synopsis: Hoffman was born August 2, 1963 in Columbus, Ohio, as George Edward Summerfield, he later changed his name. He talks about his experiences as a young man working in the Columbus area.

Keywords: Burger Chef; United States. Air Force

Subjects: Introduction; Name; Working

Segment Synopsis: Hoffman talks about moving to Kentucky with his mom and step-dad, who was a coal miner. He describes becoming popular at High school, joining the Church of Latter-day Saints, and how he reconciled his homosexuality with his faith.

Keywords: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Coal mines and mining; High school; Homosexuality; Kentucky

Subjects: High school; Kentucky; Mormonism

Segment Synopsis: Hoffman describes his Mormon missionary trip to L.A. He enjoyed the camaraderie and family feeling that came along with working as part of a team to a common goal. He talks about how he felt about the military as a child and why joining the Air Force was the right choice for him.

Keywords: Beach; Los Angeles (Calif.); Missionary; Missionary Training Center (Provo, Utah); Swimming

Subjects: Military heritage; Mormon mission

Segment Synopsis: Hoffman discusses his recruitment and enlistment process. He talks a little about his basic training and what he found most difficult about training. He shares his expectations, when he started to feel a sense of camaraderie, and talks about his job in bench stock.

Keywords: Basic training; Lackland Air Force Base (Tex.); Los Angeles (Calif.); Recruiting and enlistment; Warehouses--Management; Weight control; Williams Air Force Base (Ariz.)

Subjects: Basic training; Bench stock; Enlistment

Segment Synopsis: Hoffman talks about his life in the Air Force at Williams Air Force Base near Phoenix Arizona. His early experiences were good as he explored Arizona. He was productive on and off base with friends and the mormon community, working as a part-time missionary. His life changed when he was put under new leadership that sexually harassed and bullied him.

Keywords: Alaska; Bullying; Mormon Church; Sexual harassment; Sunday school teachers; Williams Air Force Base (Ariz.)

Subjects: Changing work environment; Harassement; Life on Base

Segment Synopsis: Hoffman shares painful memories about his Other Than Honorable discharge from the Air Force. He describes the questioning about his sexual activity by the military, being sent to a therapist, and his other losses after his discharge, which include losing his church, friends, and money.

Keywords: Excommunication--Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Gay military personnel--United States; Military discharge; Mormon church; Questioning; United States. Air Force. Office of Special Investigations

Subjects: Excommunication; Military discharge; Personal loss

Segment Synopsis: Hoffman discusses discrimination that he has encountered since leaving the Air Force. He talks about his problems building a career and some difficulties with depression and mental illness from the stress. He also discusses some of the good things in his life like his husband and three adopted children, but even these things are not untouched by discrimination.

Keywords: Burger Chef; Depression in men; Gay adoption; Hope; Manic-depressive illness; Mental illness; Missionary; Sex discrimination

Subjects: Sexual orientation disrimination

Segment Synopsis: After his discharge Hoffman worked assisting at a community college were he assisted with a Modeling program and later worked caring for children. He describes the feeling of being lost after having his job and future taken from him.

Keywords: Child care; Depression in men; Military discharge; Modeling

Subjects: Child care; Life after the Air Force; Modeling

Segment Synopsis: Hoffman discusses returning to Ohio to be near his grandmother. He talks about the difficulties finding work and his families unwillingness to accept him.

Keywords: Columbus (Ohio); Grandmother; Service stations; Tattooing

Subjects: Family; Grandmother; Work

Segment Synopsis: In 1986 Hoffman was less than honorably discharged from the Air Force, but in 2015 his discharge was upgraded to honorable. He talks about the process he went through to get his discharge changed and how his husband was crucial to making that happen. He also discusses how he feels about his service today.

Keywords: Gay military personnel--United States; Marriage; Mental health; Military discharge; New York times

Subjects: Changing his military discharge

Segment Synopsis: Hoffman discusses his desire to join a veterans organization, but being a foster parent that has had 55 children through his home in the last eight years makes time a premium. He talks about remembering the good times and people from his time in the Air Force. He also answers the question: "Would you do it again?"

Keywords: Education, secondary; Foster family; Questioning; Veterans

Subjects: Family in the military; Military values; Veteran organizations; Would you do it again?

Segment Synopsis: Hoffman shows and describes the tattoo of his grandmother that he mentioned earlier in the interview.

Subjects: Grandmother; Tattooing