Black Officer, White Navy: A Memoir - Paperback

by Reuben Keith Green (Author), John P. Cordle (Foreword by)

In Black Officer, White Navy, Lieutenant Commander Reuben Keith Green shares a compelling and enthralling account of how, as a Black man in the post-Vietnam War era, he navigated his unique career path from high school dropout to unrestricted line officer in the US Navy. Weaving history with personal narrative, Green's engaging, raw, and insightful storytelling style provides an insider's analysis of what was happening within the navy, ultimately exposing systemic racism throughout the US military. Using the "power of the pen," he offers uninhibited accounts of sometimes life-threatening confrontations that resulted from personal and institutional racial bias, describing what it was like to "sail second class" in the navy. Green, who retired as a decorated surface-warfare officer in the mid-1990s, presents an eye-opening account of the challenges, discrimination, and resistance he faced while serving in the military. Through it all, Green's characteristic sense of humor and honesty shine as he tells one hell of a sea story.

Author Biography

Lieutenant Commander Reuben Keith Green served as the executive officer of a Pegasus-class hydrofoil in the US Navy and was a steam and gas turbine qualified engineer officer. His commentaries and opinion editorials have been published by the United States Naval Institute (USNI.org) and the Center for International Maritime Security (CIMSEC.org).