On July 19, President Clinton announced that he would put into place a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue" policy on gays in the military. The policy, a compromise with Sen. Sam Nunn and others, would not allow the military services to ask whether a recruit is gay, the service member would not be allowed to state his or her sexual preference, and, with certain exceptions, the military would not be allowed to investigate the sexual orientation of service members.
The policy represented what the President called an "honorable compromise" which he admitted did not reflect his views. During the presidential campaign, Clinton had promised to lift the ban on gays in the military. The new policy has the support of the heads of the military services.
On Jan. 28, a federal judge in Los Angeles declared the military ban against homosexuals was unconstitutional. The military was successful in having the scope of the ruling narrowed to the soldier involved in the case, Petty Officer 1st Class Keith Meinhold. By year's end, the Navy, on the judge's order, had reinstated Meinhold to duty.
