Rob Smith has been a volunteer with The Pride Network for several years now. He shares his coming out stories with young people and encourages them to be true to themselves.

In his book, Rob is a young African-American man coming to terms with his sexuality amid the backdrop of the hyper-masculine, homophobic U.S. Army.

After surviving the notoriously brutal Infantry basic training and then finding himself as a young gay man while remaining closeted to all but a few of his colleagues at his first duty station, he finds himself in dangerous territory after the United States declares war on Iraq and his unit is one of the first called in after the initial invasion. 

Written with a unique and powerful voice, the intersection of race, sexuality, and public policy ensures that CLOSETS, COMBAT, AND COMING OUT is alternately funny, sad, sexy, and harrowing.

Rob's experience offers a ground-level view of life on the front lines of race and sexuality in the United States military in an unforgettable gay coming-of-age story--with a military twist.

Keith Boykin says the book is "...a riveting first-hand account of a shameful time in our recent history when courageous men like Smith were forced to serve their country in silence."

The book is currently available online for purchase here.