• Two women share first kiss at US Navy ship's return

    Brian J. Clark / Virginian Pilot via AP

    Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta, left, kisses her girlfriend of two years, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Virginia Beach, Va., Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2011 after Gaeta's ship returned from 80 days at sea. It ís a time-honored tradition at Navy homecomings - one lucky sailor is chosen to be first off the ship for the long-awaited kiss with a loved one. On Wednesday, for the first time, the happily reunited couple was gay.

    By Rich Shulman

    I'm sure this is not going to please some Navy veterans.

    AP reports: VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — 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 dock after one of them returned from 80 days at sea.

    It's been one year since President Obama signed the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, and critics said changing the law would never work in the real world of combat. NBC's Jim Maceda takes one measure of the change, with some of America's troops on the ground in Afghanistan.

    Brian J. Clark / AP

    Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta, left, greets her girlfriend of two years, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Virginia Beach, Va., Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2011 after Gaeta's ship returned from 80 days at sea.

    Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta and Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell talk about the repeal of the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" rule and becoming the first women to share the coveted "first kiss."