On Sept. 20, the United States military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy (DADT) was repealed after 18 years, giving service members the right to serve our country as open homosexuals. The policy was put in place on Dec. 21, 1993, for two reasons: to prohibit discrimination and abuse of homosexuals and to prohibit openly homosexual people from joining the military. DADT also outlawed the “demonstration” of homosexual intentions.

The repeal of the policy came after President Barack Obama, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Admiral Mike Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, decided that open homosexuality does not inhibit military readiness. In my opinion, this repeal was long overdue.

When I first heard of this homophobic policy, I was appalled at our government. Growing up as a civilian on a military base overseas, the rules and regulations that stripped military members of their basic rights as Americans always interested me.

Some restrictions include the prohibition of military members speaking badly about any and all superiors (yes, even the president); the prohibition of knowingly deploying women to war zones where they may encounter combat; and the prohibition of openly homosexual people serving in the military. These policies deny service members of their freedom of speech, freedom to protest, and freedom of expression.

The repeal of DADT only gave one of those freedoms back to our American military service members. It is a reason to celebrate but also an opportunity to reflect on the rights of the men and women serving our country. Our country and our military is headed in the right direction in terms of soldiers’ rights, but we are lacking in treating all soldiers as equals and as individuals.

The duty of a service member is to protect the country’s interests and to defend the freedom of its citizens. This becomes a hypocrisy because these brave men and women don’t have all of their own freedom.

Women in the U.S. military are restricted from being purposefully sent into direct combat, but due to the type of warfare that soldiers are facing in Iraq, it is hard to pinpoint front lines, combat zones and even the enemy.

Though it is unfortunate that any American soldier has to face such combat, I am grateful that the lines of combat are blurred, because women now have the chance to prove themselves and bring American military members one step closer to freedom.

Pfc. Stephanie McCulley was awarded the Bronze Star for risking her life in the line of fire to save a fellow soldier. Women like McCulley have proved time and time again that they will risk their lives for the protection of their unit. However, there are still those who do not want to allow women the right to physically fight for their country.

The military is a known advocate of individuality. One of the Army’s most used slogans (when describing an Army service member) is “an army of