I hate to throw cold water on the celebrations, but with the repeal of DADT, doesn't this mean that the rules go back to what they were before when homosexuals were drummed out of the service either by court martial and/or dishonorable discharge?

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Nope.  Men and women can serve in the armed forces regardess of race, gender, and now sexual orientation.

Jeff Gillmer wrote: I hate to throw cold water on the celebrations, but with the repeal of DADT, doesn't this mean that the rules go back to what they were before when homosexuals were drummed out of the service either by court martial and/or dishonorable discharge?

Why would it?  Two totally different times.  Because there was no provision in the past that allowed gays to openly serve in the military, one could skirt by that annoying discrimination stuff by court martial or dishonorable discharge.  Now that a person is expressly able to serve regardless of sexual orientation, I would think that wouldn't be the case unless you don't think the military would hesitate just a little bit at a court martial that has no real basis except for the fact that the accused is gay.

As far as my reaction?  About damn time.  

In light of this decision, I wonder how they'll handle those already dishonorably discharged for being gay?

The classy thing to do would be to retroactively change them into honorable discharges, reinstate pensions or benefits lost, and facilitate reinstatement for those who want it.

So I'm wondering what they'll really do.

It would really suck if people who wanted to re-enlist were denied because they were dishonorably discharged (for being gay).

Then we can REALLY start thinking of ourselves as grown ups!

(Just in Case: No sarcasm here. I mean it. I've been saying this for years. The repeal of DADT is a good, solid step in the right direction.)

Next, we need total integration of the armed forces. Men and women working and living together as equals. Kind of a "Starship Troopers" sort of thing.

I completely agree with this.  Many college dorms are now co-ed, with "integrated" bathrooms, etc, and everything's just fine. 

There seems to be an assumption that men (gay or straight) are unable to control their desire for sex -- left over Puritan, old-school thinking.  What the military must've been like when McCain served... I say that because he's so obviously wistful for it.

How embarrassing for John that his legacy will be to be remembered for standing so staunchly in the way of progress.