The videos come as the government and the courts try to settle the future of the military policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Under federal law, gays and lesbians can serve, but not openly. No one may ask about a person's sexual orientation. But service members can be discharged if they are found to be homosexual.

Congress and President Bill Clinton approved the law in nineteen ninety-three as a compromise. Now a federal judge in California has ruled it unconstitutional.

Last week she ordered a halt to all dismissals of gay service members. But on Wednesday an appeals court let the administration temporarily continue the policy.

President Obama says he wants to end the policy, but he wants Congress and not the courts to do it.

In July, the Defense Department e-mailed a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" opinion survey to four hundred thousand service members. Defense Secretary Robert Gates expects the results by December first.

And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.