Gay Sailor Reinstated by Navy Will Retire
A sailor who made history by being reinstated after the Navy discharged him for being gay has announced his retirement.
“The decision was difficult for me,” Petty Officer Keith Meinhold, a 15-year veteran, said Wednesday.
Meinhold, 33, said he will begin a nationwide speaking tour next month for the Servicemembers’ Legal Defense Network, a nonprofit organization that supports gay and lesbian military personnel.
The Navy honored Meinhold at an hourlong ceremony Wednesday attended by his squadron and about 40 guests, base spokesman Howard Thomas said.
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