Adam Ashton of McClatchy Newspapers reports:
"The 17-year-old policy requiring gay service members to hide their sexual orientation is scheduled to end Sept. 20, two months after the Pentagon formally certified that it was ready to accept the change.

'There's not a lot of change as far as I'm concerned,' said Capt. Ben Schneller, 30, who delivered a series of briefings at Lewis-McChord on the new policy as commander of the 472nd Signal Company in the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment.

Schneller said his 75 soldiers paid close attention during their 90-minute briefings and appeared ready for the policy shift.

"Hey, it's a change, and our job is to move out smartly and accomplish the mission regardless of anything," said Schneller, of Yelm, Wash."