US President Barack Obama has signed a landmark law allowing gay people serving in the military to be open about their sexuality.
Mr Obama said the law meant that tens of thousands of Americans would no longer be asked to live a lie.He had campaigned to change the 1993 "don't ask, don't tell" law, overturned by Congress last week.
More than 13,000 service members have been dismissed under the policy, enacted in 1993 as a compromise.
Opponents argue that the change will damage troop morale at a time of war.
But earlier this month, a Pentagon report said that allowing openly gay troops would have little impact on the cohesion of US forces fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The outgoing Senate and House of Representatives approved the new law last week, with moderate Republicans joining the Democratic majority.