photo via Wikipedia: Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta of the USS Oak Hill (LSD-51) shares the traditional “first kiss” with her fiancée, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell

We’re taking the day off — your regularly scheduled dose of love, sex, and everything in between will return tomorrow.

In the meantime, take a moment to honor all of the brave men and women who serve this country — and especially, this year, all the gay men and women who serve this country.

Our friend Nathaniel Frank is the author of the book Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America, and was an expert witness in two Constitutional challenges to “don’t ask, don’t tell,” whose success helped end the policy. You can read more about his book here, and also read an open letter he wrote to the parents of his (gay) best friend.

See you back here tomorrow!