Anthony Woods Anthony “ Tony ” Christopher Woods ( born July 20 , 1980 ) is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom , who was discharged from the United States Army in 2008 for violating the military ' s " Don ' t ask , don ' t tell " policy . In 2009 , Woods ran for U . S . Congress in California ' s 10th congressional district to fill a vacant seat , in a bid to become the first openly - gay African American in Congress . He placed 4th , receiving 8 % of a special election vote on September 1 , 2009 behind John Garamendi , Mark DeSaulnier , and Joan Buchanan . He was part of the 2011 - 2012 Class of White House Fellows . Early life . Born on July 20 , 1980 at Travis Air Force Base in the 10th Congressional District , Woods was raised by a single mother who supported her family as a small business owner and housekeeper . As a child , Woods lived in both Fairfield and Vacaville in the East Bay region of California . He graduated with honors from Vanden High School in 1999 . Woods attended the U . S . Military Academy at West Point after graduation , having received a nomination from Congressman Vic Fazio ( D CA - 3 ) . Military career ( 2003 – 2008 ) . hile at West Point , he played sprint football in the fall and ran indoor and outdoor track in winter and spring . He majored in economics and political science , and graduated in 2003 with a B . S . in Economics and American Politics . In addition to his double major , he completed an engineering concentration ( minor ) in computer science . In his last two years at the Academy , he was a representative on the cadet honor committee and commander of summer training for the rising yearling ( sophomore ) class . Woods was commissioned in the Army as a second lieutenant in the Armor branch and began the Armor Officer Basic Course at Fort Knox , Kentucky in July 2003 . While there , he volunteered for his first deployment to Iraq to lead a platoon of National Guard soldiers . Woods deployed to the Diyala province of Iraq , where he served for eleven months . Woods returned from this deployment to the U . S . in January , 2005 and was transferred from Fort Bragg to Fort Carson , Colorado . Later that year , in June , 2005 , he made his second deployment to Iraq with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment . Upon return from his second deployment , the Army selected Woods to teach at West Point , an unusual appointment for so junior an officer and one which would require him to earn a graduate degree first . That year , he matriculated to the John F . Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where he studied for a master ' s degree in public policy . While at Harvard , Woods volunteered to mentor low - income minorities applying to college and numerous other community leadership activities , including co - founding the first student chapter of the Fuller Center for Housing , and making three trips to New Orleans to assist families struggling to rebuild following Hurricane Katrina . For this work , he was among a group of students awarded the Robert F . Kennedy Public Service Award . During the summer of 2007 , Woods co - led a group of thirty cyclists across the U . S . to raise money for Habitat for Humanity through a non - profit group known as Bike & Build . The trip took them from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to San Diego , California . The group raised over $ 130 , 000 and built homes in five different states during the course of the trip across the United States . Prior to graduation in 2008 , Woods competed to speak at Harvard ’ s annual commencement and was one of three students chosen to give a commencement speech . Shortly after graduation , Woods reported to Fort Knox , Kentucky for the Armor Captain ' s Career Course . Shortly thereafter , Woods outed himself as gay , and was subsequently discharged under the government ' s now repealed “ Don ' t ask , don ' t tell ” policy . For this decision , Woods was ordered to reimburse the Army for the $ 35 , 000 tuition paid on his behalf to attend Harvard . In December 2008 , the U . S . Army completed the discharge process for Woods . Life after the military ( 2008 – 2009 ) . After his honorable discharge from the Army , Woods worked as an aide for Governor David Paterson of New York . Congressional campaign ( 2010 ) . On March 18 , 2009 , Woods declared his intention run for Congress in a special election to replace Rep . Ellen Tauscher ( D - CA ) , who was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security . His campaign made it a high profile affair receiving national attention . However , his bid to become the first openly gay African - American elected to Congress ended when he lost a special election held on September 1 , 2009 , receiving under 9 percent of the vote . ServiceNation ( 2010 – 2011 ) . Following the campaign in California , Woods returned to Washington , D . C . where he worked for the nonprofit , Be the Change , Inc . Woods helped run the organization ' s ServiceNation campaign devoted to increasing support for expanding national service programs like the Peace Corps and Americorps . Woods functioned as the Director of the " Service as a Strategy " initiative helping develop volunteer - driven solutions for American cities . White House Fellowship ( 2011 – present ) . In 2011 , Woods became a member of the 2011 - 2012 Class of White House Fellows . According to its website , " the purpose of the White House Fellows program is to provide gifted and highly motivated young Americans with some first - hand experience in the process of governing the Nation and a sense of personal involvement in the leadership of society . " . It is awarded in a non - partisan manner . Woods was placed at the U . S . Office of Personnel Management under John Berry .