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were and present their military family as they were, what chance would a lieutenant or a sergeant have? >> the decision was not easy. smith spent the majority of her 35 year career hiding who she was. >> there weren't a lot of places that gay people were welcome in the early '80s and so hiding was something that felt necessary. >> homosexuals were not allowed to serve in the military in faith discrimination. >> you were automatically assumed to be affront to good order and discipline. >> lived a double life as she rose through the ranks. >> criminal investigators were actively looking to out people and kick them out of the army. >> this is an end to witch hunts. >> that in 1993 under president bill clinton congress passed don't ask, don't tell allowing guys to serve as long as they were closeted. >> i was actually happy about
it. under don't ask don't tell there was a at least an institutional acknowledgment that i existed. when you are in a marginalized community exist something a win. >> but relief slowly turned to frustration. >> after i met tracy is when it became almost unbearable to be in uniform and have to continue to hide. >> by 2010, smith had had it. she filed for retirement but changed her mind after hearing chairman of the joint chiefs mike mullins congressional testimony. >> it is my personal belief that allowing guys and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do. >> you know, i heard him say that, and i cried. because it was the first time in my military career that a senior officer still serving in uniform said that my service was as valuable as any other service members. >> determined, smith and tracy worked together to repeal don't
>> steve: major general. >> brian: been handling these stories. served this nation for 35 years in man marks costa rica, afghanistan and korea from serving as a brigadier general of the u.s. army reserves to serving in the afghanistan war. distinguished career blazed the trail for women and for the lgbtq community and the military. >> i sincerely believe. >> april 12 army reserve officer smith was promoted to brigadier general where her life tracy pinned the star on her uniform. tracy's presence finally made smith the first openly gay general in united states military history. >> i didn't have to come out. i wasn't going to disrespect our marriage by pretending like she didn't exist. so we made the decision together, if a brigadier general couldn't be safe or couldn't feel like they could be who they
ask don't tell. >> i remember that loading her up with my talking points, when you go to a senator's office, make sure you talk about this. and she was a voice. >> it paid off. while smith served in afghanistan, the policy was repealed. >> i flew an american flag on repeal day and brought that flag home and that flag was present at tracy and our wedding. >> happy pride. >> thank you happy pride. >> now retired, smith continues to inspire others, advocate for lgbtq individuals still in the military. >> what i would want people to know you are perfectly okay the way you are. live your life with dignity. >> live your life with dignity. major general smith says one of the individual accomplishments she is most proud of is earning that star of being a senior parachutist. smith was the only woman in the class of 70 at her jump school. that's just incredible.