After years of bitter debate, and generations of military tradition, repeal of the 18-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" law went into effect at 12:01 a.m. For the first time, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines were free to declare their sexual orientation without risking being thrown out of the military.
In California, former Marine Capt. Kristen Kavanaugh, 31, hopes to join the Navy four years after she left the Marines. She had served in Iraq, but could no longer stand the pressure of hiding her sexuality.
"The turning point was Iraq," said Kavanaugh, now a graduate student at USC. "Everyone else could call their loved one and talk openly. I had to guard my words and only talk in general terms. It was awful having to live like that."
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