US military, in a first, accepts gays

SAN DIEGO, California - The military is accepting openly gay recruits for the first time in United States history, even as it tries in the courts to slow the movement to abolish its "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

At least three service members discharged for being gay began the process to re-enlist after the Pentagon's Tuesday announcement, and several others told the Associated Press they plan to try to rejoin this week.

US District Judge Virginia Phillips of California who overturned the 17-year-old policy last week rejected the government's latest effort on Tuesday to halt her order telling the military to stop enforcing the law.