A Navy tradition caught up with the repeal of the U.S. military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule on Wednesday when two women sailors became the first to share the coveted “first kiss” on the pier after one of them returned from 80 days at sea.
The Navy didn’t want to make a big deal about it, and either did the couple, but the traditional ‘first kiss’ during disembarking of the USS Oak Hill involved two lesbian lovers Wednesday morning, December 21, 2011.
The Navy holds a first kiss raffle that awards the first kiss for couples when one partner disembarks a ship. Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta won the raffle on the USS Oak Hill amphibious landing ship; and when she disembarked; she kissed her partner, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell of Los Angeles.
Both women are Navy fire controlmen, who maintain and operate weapons systems on ships. Gaeta and Snell met at training school where they were roommates and have been dating for two years
Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta won a raffle on the dock landing ship Oak Hill to be the first to kiss a loved one on its return to port in Virginia Beach. Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell was waiting when she crossed the brow.
Neither the United States Navy nor the couple attempted to draw attention or publicize the kiss, which has occurred many times before for heterosexual couples.
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hamptonroads.com/2011/12/lesbian-couples-first-kiss-homecoming-first-navy-too