A Question of Honor

A Question of Honor is an inside look at the Annapolis cheating scandal and Jeffrey Gantar's courageous decision to be true to the spirit of the Honor Code regardless of what it cost him.
A Question of Honor offers a cadet's-eye view of the Academy - what it's like to be part of a tradition that has trained some of the best and brightest officers this nation has ever produced. And it tells the story of how Tom Patten, an Academy counselor, helped Jeffrey Gantar grapple with the shadows of his past and come to terms with what his faith in God required.
Gantar says, "There's a saying in the Brigade: 'That which doesn't kill me can only make me stronger.' I had discovered that I was capable of doing things others found impossible. I had found within myself the capacity for great moral courage."
Gantar was one of the middies who previewed the test, believing it to be "gouge" (Academy lingo for study aids). Others who also saw the test stood by their fabricated stories of innocence and graduated with their commissions. But Gantar felt he could not be true to the Honor Code, to himself, and to his God, if he did not finally admit to seeing the test. Though he lost his planned naval career, Gantar did walk away with his conscience - and the admiration of all who knew him.

Jeffrey Gantar graduated in 1995 from the University of Washington with a degree in Systems Engineering. He currently works as an engineer in the management development program for Precision Castparts Corp. Dr. Tom Patten is currently employed as associate professor of psychology at Abilene Christian University. He served in the military for eighteen years. Michael O'Donnell is executive director of Abilene Christian University's Center for Fathering in addition to being adjunct professor of Human Development and Life Studies. He is the author of several books, including Heart of the Warrior and Home from Oz.