▁promotion ▁during ▁the ▁last ▁ten ▁years ▁of ▁his ▁career . ▁In ▁ 6 ▁years ▁he ▁was ▁passed ▁over ▁ 5 ▁times ▁for ▁promotion ▁to ▁commander . ▁By ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁Congress ▁an ▁officer ▁att aining ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁lieutenant ▁commander ▁is ▁allowed ▁to ▁remain ▁on ▁active ▁duty ▁until ▁the ▁earliest ▁date ▁that ▁he ▁is ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁ret irement . ▁Ste vers on ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁ret ire ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁with ▁ 2 0 ▁years ▁of ▁active ▁service . ▁His ▁last ▁two ▁years ▁of ▁active ▁duty ▁at ▁Govern ors ▁Island , ▁New ▁York ▁were ▁very ▁ag gra v ating . ▁After ▁comple ting ▁a ▁tour ▁of ▁duty ▁at ▁the ▁National ▁N arc ot ics ▁Border ▁Inter diction ▁System , ▁he ▁was ▁rel ieved ▁of ▁all ▁respons ib ilities ▁and ▁administr atively ▁assigned ▁to ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁Base ▁Govern ors ▁Island . ▁He ▁was ▁required ▁to ▁report ▁for ▁work ▁every ▁morning , ▁but ▁he ▁had ▁no ▁official ▁position . ▁ ▁The ▁bridge ▁builder ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁Lieutenant ▁London ▁Ste vers on ▁was ▁re ass igned ▁from ▁June au , ▁Al aska ▁to ▁Washington , ▁D . C .. ▁He ▁became ▁the ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁Minor ity ▁Rec ruit ing ▁Section ▁at ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁Head quarters . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁Minor ity ▁Rec ruit ing ▁Section ▁he ▁des eg reg ated ▁the ▁all - white ▁United ▁States ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁Academy ▁by ▁rec ruit ing ▁more ▁than ▁ 5 0 ▁minor