3 Gay Airmen Seek Discharge Before DADT Ends(yippee!)

3 Gay Airmen Seek Discharge Before DADT Ends(yippee!): "WASHINGTON -- Three members of the Air Force have asked to be discharged because they are gay, moving quickly to get out of the military under the ban on openly gay service before its expected repeal later this year.

Pentagon officials said the other military services have not seen any similar effort this year under the so-called 'don't ask, don't tell' law that prohibits gays from serving openly. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said there are no roadblocks to ending the 17-year-old ban, but it probably won't happen until mid-summer. Gates leaves office this week.

According to the Air Force, during the past month two female staff sergeants and a male second lieutenant made statements identifying themselves as gay and asked to be separated quickly from the service. Only one other person, an airman first class, has been discharged under the law since last October.

Air Force Secretary Michael Donley approved the discharges of the two women, and accepted the resignation of the Airman who requested separation from the service. Gates issued an order last October that said no one could be discharged under the gay ban unless it was approved by the secretary of the military service involved.

(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ..."