Military celebrates gay pride and diversity of troops

Raquel Enero

The U.S. military has come a long way in supporting and protecting gay rights this year, and now it is taking it a step further by celebrating June as gay pride month, The Associated Press reports.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta recently thanked gay and lesbian service members for their service with an official salute, marking the first time the military has officially recognized and celebrated this group in the same way it recognizes other diverse groups within the Armed Forces.

The remarkable progress the military has made in supporting homosexual troops was set in motion by the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law that prohibited gay service members from serving while open about their sexuality. For 18 years, troops could actually be kicked out of the military for revealing a homosexual orientation.

The AP reports that now, a person's sexual orientation or the announcement of it can no longer bar them from serving. Those who were discharged under the previous policy - about 13,500 troops - may now apply for re-entry.

The Pentagon recently announced its first gay pride event, which will be held June 26 in the Pentagon, where Jeh Johnson, the top Pentagon lawyer, will speak and there will be a panel of gay and lesbian service members who will discuss the value of serving with such acceptance of diversity.

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