For the first time, men and women in the military can openly share their photographs as part of our "A Day in Gay America" project.
December 13 2012 4:00 AM EST
November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST
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6:31 a.m., Panama Canal: Gary Ross tells us, "I was the Officer of the Deck aboard USS Anchorage (LPD 23), the U.S. Navy's newest ship, as she entered the Panama Canal on her maiden voyage from the shipyard in Avondale, La., to her home port in San Diego."
7.21 a.m., Oahu, Hawaii: Kenton and Johnny Wandasan decide to start the day with a cool morning hike.
7:30 a.m., Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: HM2(SW) US Navy Hospital Corpsman Jeffry Priela is a member of the military advisory council of the newly formed group OutServe-SLDN, which is for active duty LGBT members of the military. He's also founding vice president for the Gay Men's Chorus of Honolulu and an Equality Hawaii board member. His photo was taken in Hawaii after the biannual Navy Physical Readiness Test at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, and the memorial shown is of the Missing Man Formation.
8 a.m., Orlando, Fla.: "I am inspiring and educating our LGBT U.S. military personnel regarding fitness training and a healthy lifestyle," says Jonathan Gatz. His photo was taken during the Fresh Start Program at the OutServe-SLDN International Leadership Conference. Gatz said he plans to continue these training sessions at LGBT and U.S. military events around the world.
9:15 a.m., Fairfield Calif.: "Female pilots rarely get to fly together, and I had the chance to fly with one of my best friends, Liz," said Julie Honeycutt, pictured on the right. "We have known each other since being stationed together in Germany and now at Travis Air Force Base in Northern California. Liz was the first person I worked with that I told I was gay, and I appreciated how it was a nonissue to her and had no effect on our great friendship. Life in the military is getting better now that DADT has been removed."
11:10 a.m., Lincoln, Neb.: Lt. Col. Philip L."Flip" Fields, instructor pilot and commander, C Flight, 173rd Air Refueling Squadron, goes over his preflight checklist on the KC-135 Stratotanker in Lincoln. Fields came out to his military family after 20 years of serving in the closet and after marrying his partner of seven years in October 2012. Fields says he hopes his rank and time in service will inspire others military members to come out of the closet.
4:42 p.m., Little Rock, Ark.: Anthony Loverde is leaving his apartment with coffee in hand and heading to work, where he is training as a C-130J Loadmaster at Little Rock AFB.
8:48 p.m., Pensacola, Fla.: Jamie Nunez's wife and friends dance to "YMCA" during a Pensacola Ice Flyers hockey game on military appreciation night.
9 p.m., Tacoma, Wash.: Kali Files, in the front, center, plays laser tag with friends after a long day at work. "We are all in the Army, and we like to use our tactical skills we've learned over time."
9:45 p.m., Portsmouth, Va.: Ensign Matthew Lawson works the night shift at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, caring for the sailors, Marines, soldiers, and airmen who protect us.
9:50 p.m., Arlington, Va.: U.S. Marine Matthew Phelps and Ben Schock attend their first ball together, with the Marines and officers of Marine Corps University.