Meinhold, AW1 Keith, Petty Officer (Ret.)

AW1 Keith Meinhold enlisted in the Navy in April 1980, at the age of seventeen, and began an exemplary career. During his years of service, Meinhold rose through the ranks to become, by the Navy's own admission, one of it's very best.

Meinhold was an Acoustic Station Operator/Instructor aboard the Navy's P-3C Orion Aircraft, flying missions throughout the Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Persian Gulf, accumulating over 3500 flight hours. He was respected and praised by superiors and subordinates alike. By May 1992 he was rated in the top ten percent of all Navy instructors.

Meinhold acknowledged his gay status on ABC's World News Tonight in May 19, 1992,. Immediately after the broadcast, the Navy initiated discharge proceedings on the basis of his sexual status.

Meinhold was discharged in August 1992. In October 1992 Meinhold filed his complaint in federal court, and for an injunction to return him to the Navy. On November 6th, the court ordered the Navy to reinstate Meinhold. Meinhold was the first openly gay man returned to active duty. On January 29th the court granted summary judgment, in favor of Meinhold.

The Navy appealed to the Ninth Circuit.

On August 31, 1994 the Ninth Circuit held that the Navy was prohibited from discharging Meinhold. Meinhold continued to serve as an openly gay man from his reinstatement in November 1992 to his retirement March 27, 1996.

He was the first openly gay man to retire from active duty with full military honors. During his tenure after reinstatement, his P-3C flight crew was selected as the "Most Combat Effective Aircrew in the Pacific Fleet" in 1995. Meinhold was presented with a Navy A