Airman Discharged Under Don't Ask/Don't Tell

The military gay ban has been repealed, but implementation is still dragging on and, unbelievably, soldiers can still be discharged for being gay.  On April 29, the Secretary of the Air Force approved the discharge of an airman.  This is the first and only discharge under DA/DT since Congress voted to repeal it.  According to an Air Force spokesman, the airman in question requested expeditious processing of his discharge.  Aubrey Sarvis of the Servicemen's Legal Defense Network had this to say:

''This discharge underscores the need for the President, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Secretary of Defense to certify 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal and put this ugly chapter in American history behind us. It also highlights the undeniable and unfortunate fact that service members remain under investigation and at risk of discharge.''

Navy to Allow Same-Sex Marriage on Base

The Navy has announced that they will allow same-sex marriages to be performed in on-base facilities in states where they are legal.  Navy chaplains may officiate.  This means that, once Don't Ask/Don't Tell is finally dead and buried, gay sailors can get married openly and with pride in their own Navy chapels.  This represents a huge cultural change, it seems to me.  You might even call it a sea-change.