Reuters: U.S.: Active duty military may don uniforms at San Diego gay pride parade

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Active duty military may don uniforms at San Diego gay pride parade Jul 19th 2012, 23:22 By Mary Slosson Thu Jul 19, 2012 7:22pm EDT (Reuters) - The Department of Defense will allow active duty members of all branches of the U.S. military to don their service uniforms while marching in the upcoming San Diego gay pride parade, event organizers said on Thursday. The move, announced the day before the weekend festivities are to begin, comes in the wake of a repeal that went into effect last September of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, under which homosexuals were allowed to serve in the military only if they did not divulge their sexual orientation. San Diego has a large military presence due to its naval base and the nearby Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. "We are hopeful that those who have feared coming to share in the joy of Pride out of concern for losing their military careers will be able to finally celebrate their full and complete selves," San Diego LGBT Pride, the organizer of the event, said in a statement. More than 300 military members have already signed up to march in the parade, the group said. A representative for the Department of Defense declined immediate comment, but said her office was preparing a statement. In the past, only veterans of the armed services, not those on active duty, were allowed to wear their uniforms at gay pride parades. The U.S. military celebrated gay pride month at the Pentagon for the first time in June following the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. More than 50,000 people are expected to take to attend the San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride festival, according to organizers. (Reporting by Mary Slosson: Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis and Eric Walsh) Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

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