POINT MUGU : Discrimination Complaint Settled

An openly gay civilian employee at the Point Mugu Naval Air Weapons Station, who alleged had been subjected to harassment because of his sexuality, settled his discrimination complaint against the Navy on Thursday.

Thomas A. Swann, 36, accepted the terms of an undisclosed cash settlement of his federal complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charging that the Navy had violated the federal Rehabilitation Act.

“I can say that I am pleased with this settlement and that I believe this deal has made me whole again,” said Swann, a Port Hueneme resident.

Terms of the settlement, negotiated by the American Civil Liberties Union, were not disclosed.

A 12-year base employee and a decorated former Marine Corps sergeant, Swann voluntarily left his position last June as a program analyst in the Strike Systems Department after being allegedly harassed over his sexual orientation and because of his support for lifting the Navy’s ban against homosexuals.

As part of the settlement, Swann agreed to be relocated from the Strike Systems Department to the base comptroller’s office where he will work as a management analyst. Swann, who returned to the base in February, retained his civil service rank, where he earns between $35,300 to $47,200 annually.

Navy spokesman Alan Alpers said base officials were pleased to have settled the case.

“We’re happy that we were able to reach a mutual settlement that is apparently beneficial to both parties,” Alpers said. “We’re happy to have Mr. Swann at work and happy he’s agreed to settle the case.”