The Navy Blues

The 1991 Tailhook convention, where the Navy's "top guns" blew off steam after the Persian Gulf war, sparking a domino-effect scandal over sexual harassment directed against women pilots. The Navy's failure to forthrightly deal with these charges led to high level resignations and opened a rift between old guard warriors and those trying to build a "new Navy." Tailhook also set off a rancorous debate on equal opportunity in the Navy, the role of women in combat, and the right of Congress to regulate daily military operations. That's a lot to take on in an hour long video, and watching this PBS Frontline documentary you get the feeling that any one or two stories fully explored would have filled the hour. Among others, the video looks at the stories of Robert Stumpf, a distinguished combat pilot who found his career on hold after being tainted with the Tailhook tarbrush; Kara Hultgreen, an ambitious pilot eager to break into the ranks of the "top gun" elite (her death while attempting a tricky aircraft carrier landing raised questions as to whether she was promoted too quickly for gender reasons); and Navy Secretary Mike Boorda who, under the strain of trying to reconcile warring factions, killed himself after being accused of improperly wearing combat decorations. The video is a provocative look at a timely problem, but the lack of focus and inconclusive ending make this a marginal purchase for most libraries. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)