By Shaun Knittel
Online News Editor

A Personnel Review Board (PRB) unanimously determined that Midshipman Andrew Koch, a FabScout model known as Patrick Hunter, be discharged from the U.S. Navy ROTC Program for doing gay pornography.

Koch is in the third year of a four-year scholarship service contract with the Navy. Koch was informed that he would also be liable to return all tuition, fees, and educational expenses incurred during his tenure, which could total nearly $26,000.

According to military officials, Koch’s pornography shoots were grounds for severing his ties with the corps, as they were “inconsistent with good order and discipline,” and “inconsistent with what the Navy deems morally acceptable.”

According to the South Florida Gay News, on July 27 Koch was informed by a commanding officer, T.M. Calabrese, that he was being placed on an involuntary leave of absence, while he was being investigated “for an alleged serious moral offense that brings discredit upon the naval service,” which could lead to “disenrollment form the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps.”

Koch is appealing the decision. Although the PRB says his actions were inconsistent with Navy Standards, they did note that his conduct was “perfectly legal.”

In a letter to the PRB, Koch asked to remain in the ROTC Program, writing that he “never meant to disrespect the Navy, never appeared in uniform, and never associated his private work in pornography with the Navy in any way.”

Koch further says that “morality is a very subjective idea,” and that his conduct “would not make me any less of a capable officer.”

Koch contacted South Florida Gay News (SFGN) publisher Norm Kent, a first amendment and civil rights attorney, who has previously represented gay servicemen discharged under the now defunct ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ provisions of the U.S. military, when he learned of his termination from the ROTC Program.

According to SFGN, Kent has agreed to undertake a pro bono appeal of Koch’s proposed discharge, submitting a letter to the Navy Corp that their action is “precipitous” and “legally unwarranted,” since the Board concluded Koch’s conduct was legal. Kent also noted that the military service contract Koch signed with the corps was a civil contract with “specific terms and conditions that have not been breached.” Kent indicated that the Navy has standards, which may have been breached, but “the legal issue is whether the midshipman was properly noticed of what those rules are.”

Koch says he went the route of gay pornography to make some money because he was experiencing financial hardship, after being placed on a leave of absence from ROTC for medical reasons.

Koch added “and I was not at all ashamed of gay sex. I just needed to support myself. It was never my intention to bring any discredit to the service. I never correlated my private conduct with my public service. I saw a disconnect between the two.”

Koch’s appeal for reconsideration includes his appreciation for the guidance his staff has given him and “the lessons that I have learned during my time here.”