a History of Discrimination in the American Military

1911: Rear Admiral Edward Barry , Commander of the US Pacific Fllet was forced
     to resign after an alleged liaison with a cabin boy.

1943: Military Psychiatrists define homosexuality as a medical condition, rather
       than a criminal act. Homosexuals are discharged.

1948: President Harry Truman allows African-Americans to serve in the military.

1976: Miriam Ben-Shalom is discharged honorably from the U.S. Army for
      acknowledging her lesbian identity.

1986: Army Reserve Captain Dusty Pruitt is discharged after stating that she is
      a lesbian in a newspaper interview.

1987: Miriam Ben-Shalom is re-instated.

1987: The Pruitt case is dismissed; the judge says the courts are required to 
      give ``substantial deference'' to Army regulations.

1987: The U.S. Naval Academy forces Joseph  Steffan to resign.

1991: (August) _The Advocate_ outs Assistant Secretary of Defense Pete 
      Williams, drawing attention to the hypocrisy of the policy.

1991: (November) Rep Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduces a resolution calling 
      upon the president to rescind the ban against lesbians and gays in the
      military.

1991: (December) An 85 year old judge calls Joseph Steffan a ``homo'' and 
      upholds the Navy's decision, citing AIDS.

1992: (May) Rep. Patricia Schroeder (D-CO) announces the introduction of the
      Military Freedom Act of 1992, which wuld prohibit discrimination based
      on sexual orientation in the Armed Forces.

1992: (July) Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer, a decorated 23 year Viet Nam nurse,
      is discharged for revealing her lesbian identity during questioning for
      a security clearance.