He found his activist voice in the Navy. Now this San Diego veteran is being courted by Washington

[Tony]

Shawn VanDiver was comfortable in front of the camera before he left the Navy a decade ago. In a 2012 CNN iReport story, VanDiver, in his dress white uniform, spoke about the importance of standing by LGBTQ service members by marching in the San Diego Pride Parade.

It was the first time active duty military members were authorized to be in the parade in uniform after the 2010 repeal of the Pentagon’s ban and “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.