In a 10-minute video released over the
summer, a gay military couple discuss getting engaged during last
year's San Diego Pride Parade.
The parade marked the first time in
U.S. history that the Defense Department allowed active-duty military
personnel to march in uniform in a Gay Pride parade. Roughly 200
active-duty and retired military service members took part in the
parade.
“I'd been in the Navy for a long
time, living under Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” Dwayne said. “And
this was the first time in history that military members were allowed
to walk in uniform in public. It was just [an] amazing moment.”
Dwayne said that he decided on an
impulse to propose during the parade, hastily purchasing a ring and
putting it in his back pocket.
During the parade, Dwayne got down on
one knee, produced the ring and proposed marriage to Jonathan
surrounded by thousands of parade-goers. Dwayne said time froze for
him.
“It was almost as if nobody else
existed at this point. And the sailors that we were walking with
just kind of surrounded us and were jumping up and down and
screaming. It was just really spectacular.”
In exchanging their wedding vows, Dwayne
revealed a wish that he had made on their first date.
“On our first date, we made wishes in
the fountain at Jackson Square. We have not shared that wish with
each other, until now. My wish was that we both would find happiness
in our lives, even if this was our only date. Well, baby, my wish
came true a long time ago,” Dwayne said. (The video is embedded on
this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)