By Greg BotelhoCNN
POSTED: 9:16 pm EDT September 19, 2011UPDATED: 5:39 am EDT September 20, 2011
(CNN) — The reactions range from gloom-and-doom predictions to big countdown parties and smaller celebrations to ho-hum business-as-usual as the U.S. military changes its rules Tuesday and allows gay men and lesbians to serve openly.A minute into the new day, 12:01 a.m., the old “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” rule that has been in force since the Clinton administration is gone.In its place is a policy designed to be blind to sexual orientation and that the Pentagon brass insists will maintain the military in fighting trim and have no negative impact on “military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion and recruiting and retention.”Some members of the U.S. military — many who carefully hid both their identities and sexual orientation for years — are wasting no time in making their sexual identity publicThat includes the man who until now had been known as JD Smith. Smith had been at the forefront of pushing for the repeal, as co-founder and co-director of a group called OutServe, which bills itself as the Association of Actively Serving LGBT Military Personnel. As an active-duty member he would only speak to the media under a pseudonym. As the new rules take effect at the stroke of midnight, his real identity will be revealed. He is Josh Seefried, an airman serving on a base in New Jersey.”It will be a huge relief,” Josh Seefried, predicted Monday.Others are joining him. OutServe is publishing a new edition of its magazine, the “Repeal Issue,” on Tuesday about the change. It will be available on some military bases around the world and in it will be photos of 101 active service members openly stating they are gay. The OutServe magazine is now distributed online.”Now we are stepping forward, to a new day, a new life,” writes Air Force Staff Sgt. Jonathan Mills. “A life of openness, integrity, of honor. At last, our country has accepted us — not for who we love or how we love but who we are.”The magazine says its photo essay on 101 people serving in the military represents just a portion of the approximately 70,000 “currently serving” lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender military personnel.Seefried also has a book, “Our Time: Breaking the Silence of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ ” It had been advertised under his cover identify. Now he says Amazon is ready to substitute his real name on the book.”The book is really important to me because this ties into people finding out that there are other gay military members out there serving,” Seefried told CNN. “I remember a book I read when I was in college done by a gay military officer and it gave me courage and I hope this book does the same.”"I never knew it, the policy was going to change,” Seefried said. He is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and is now working as a finance officer at a base in New Jersey. He said he wasn’t sure how he would celebrate at one minute past midnight. “But there is no way ever to forget this moment.”Seefried admits a lot of people will be surprised, including friends and workers of his, as well as many thousands of other military personnel who may learn something new about their battle buddies or colleagues.”People will be shocked, But at least they are going to be talking about it,” Seefried said. “And talking can bring down barriers.”One of the most vocal and active proponents of the change, Alex Nicholson of Servicemembers United, was planning to be at a party in Washington, a New Year’s Eve-type bash, shouting out the seconds to 12:01 a.m.Nicholson was discharged from the Army in 2002 under the old policy. “I think it is a combination of thoughts and feelings,” Nicholson said in a telephone interview about his expectations of the change in policy. “It’s going to be vindication for people discharged. Also there is a sense of relief.”He looks back at the speeches he gave around the country, sometimes in the face of such opposition that he required police protection, and to the political bargaining sessions.”I feel very fortunate to have been one of those in the rooms on Capitol Hill and in the White House and with senior administration staff,” Nicholson said. Congress finally voted in the repeal of the law last December and President Barack Obama signed the legislation just before Christmas.The military says an overwhelming number of the military force has been trained for the end of DADT.”Over 2.25 million service members have been trained,” Pentagon spokesman George Little said. And the Defense Department and the individual services planned to release new rules and procedures right after midnight.”This isn’t a surprise that repeal is happening tomorrow. We are prepared,” Little said at his regular question and answer session with journalists in his office. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen are going before the cameras in the Pentagon briefing room Tuesday and senators will hold a separate news conference on Capitol Hill.One of the most prominent congressional supporters of the change, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin said that from now on thousands of Americans will be able to serve their country without concealing part of their identity.”They will no longer have to lie in order to help protect us,” Levin said in a statement released by his staff. “The end of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is an important victory not just for equality, but integrity.”"The services did an excellent job of providing training,” said Pentagon spokesman Little. “The vast majority of the force has been trained on issues related to repeal and we are ready to move forward.”But long-time opponent of the change, Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness, says she is concerned that allowing gays and lesbians to serve will drive many loyal troops out of the military.”Due to the president’s political promises, the military faces heavy burdens of confusion and tension that could have been avoided,” Donnelly told CNN. “This is nothing for the administration to be proud of.”She says it may be years before the damage to the military is apparent as some people delay their departure because of a weak economy. “It would not be wise to consider recruiting, retention and morale to be assured indefinitely, however, Donnelly said.Servicemembers United said today that 14,346 people were discharged under DADT policy.Some of the people who were separated under the old policy are now reapplying, as the new rules reopen a door that had been shut. Michael Almy was an Air Force officer for 13 years and helped control the air space over Iraq, during some of the fiercest fighting in Iraq. He left in 2006.”My hope is to get back in. I’ve talked to recruiters. I’m started to look at that process,” Almy told CNN. He says that nothing is going to repair the damage to his career, after a five-year gap.”I’m hoping that I can at least get back in there where I left off and resume my career — hopefully, just be a role model,” Almy said. “Because that’s what we need right now; we need gay and lesbian role models, officers and enlisted alike, who can serve honestly and openly next to their straight counterparts and show no detriment to the mission whatsoever.”Servicemembers United’s Nicholson predicts smooth sailing for all sides in the coming weeks and months. “I think the real story is going to be the non-story,” Nicholson said. “What this is going to do is normalize everything that is already there.”
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