Panetta thanks gay soldiers, Pentagon prepares to celebrate Gay Pride Month

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Friday thanked gay and lesbian military members for their service, as the Pentagon prepares to mark June as gay pride month with an official salute.

In a remarkable sign of a cultural change in the U.S. military, Panetta said that with the repeal last year of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law that prohibited gays from serving openly in the military, gays and lesbians can now be proud to be in uniform.

“Now you can be proud of serving your country, and be proud of who you are,” Panetta said.

The defense chief also said he’s committed to removing as many barriers as possible to making the military a model of equal opportunity.

Panetta’s video message was part of a Pentagon salute to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender troops as the Pentagon joined the rest of the U.S. government for the first time in marking June as gay pride month.

Read more at CNS News HERE.