Dan Choi, Gay Soldier at Times Square Recruitment Station (video)

Passing through Times Square, saw the type of commotion at the recruitment Station that usually indicates the Code Pinkos and Grannies for Peace are protesting our men and women in uniform. Checked it out and found this instead: Dan Choi making a display of re-enlisting for the press....

Gay soldiers come out to rejoin US army

Dan Choi waits outside an army recruiting centre in New York, hoping to re-enlist after the lifting of the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy on gay service personnel. Photograph: Bebeto Matthews/AP

From the Guardian/ UK: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/20/gay-soldiers-rejoin-us-army

Choi, 29, a lieutenant discharged earlier this year because he is gay, kept supporters updated through Twitter on his progress through the army enlistment process.

Gay campaigner Dan Choi among first to try to re-enlist after Pentagon move to end 'don't ask, don't tell' policy

After completing a basic skills test today, Choi wrote that he had missed only three verbal questions and five of the maths ones. He added triumphantly: "I passed."

Choi went to the recruitment office in Times Square, New York, this morning after a visit yesterday to declare he was gay and to inform them he planned to re-enlist in the wake of a federal court ruling confirming existing Pentagon policy on gays was illegal.

Legislation at present says gay people can serve in the military but not openly. If they admit publicly they are gay or are outed, they face being discharged. Choi, who saw combat in Iraq, came out in March on a US television show.

After his initial stop at the recruiting centre yesterday he said: "Apparently I'm too old for the marines. Just filled out the army application." He added: "A week ago I would be turned away. Today was very different. I was very excited. They are processing it."

Choi said he refused to lie on his army application. He wrote on the form: "I was discharged in 7/2010 from the US [army] because I told the truth about my sexual orientation and refused to lie about my cherished and loved partner."

Elsewhere, the response was mixed, with some enlistment centres saying the Pentagon had not informed them of a change in policy.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Guess it all depends on the meaning of "is" is cause....

One Day you're "OUT" actually means Next day : You're IN

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