Washington (CNN) -- Reactions ranged from gloom-and-doom predictions to celebrations to ho-hum business-as-usual as the U.S. military changed its rules Tuesday to allow gay men and lesbians to serve openly.





A minute into the new day, at 12:01 a.m., the old "don't ask, don't tell" rule that has been in force since the Clinton administration was gone.





In its place was a policy designed to be blind to sexual orientation and one that the Pentagon brass insists will maintain the military in fighting trim, with no negative impact on "military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion and recruiting and retention."





Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen told a news conference that the repeal enhanced the integrity of the nation's fighting forces.





"They'll all get up, they'll all go to work, and they'll all be able to do that work honestly, and their fellow citizens will be safe, and that's all that really matters," Mullen said.





Some members of the U.S. military -- many who carefully hid both their identities and sexual orientation for years -- wasted no time in going public.





That included the man who until now had been known as J.D. Smith. Smith had been at the forefront of pushing for the repeal, as co-founder and co-director of a group called OutServe, which bills itself as the Association of Actively Serving LGBT Military Personnel.





As an active-duty service member, he would only speak to the media under a pseudonym. Under the new rules, his real identity can be revealed, and he announced at a news conference Tuesday that he is 1st Lt. Josh Seefried, an airman serving on a base in New Jersey.





Until now, Seefried said, he had worried every day that he could lose his military career if it became known he was gay.





"Today and every day I can go back into work with that burden lifted off my shoulders and not have to worry about it any more," he said. Concerns of a possible hostile reaction from heterosexual colleagues were unfounded, Seefried said, adding that "no one's going hurt us when we go back to our units."





Others joined him. OutServe published a new edition Tuesday called the "Repeal Issue." It was available on some military bases around the world and included photos of 101 active service members openly stating they are gay. The OutServe magazine is also distributed online.





"Now we are stepping forward, to a new day, a new life," wrote Air Force Staff Sgt. Jonathan Mills. "A life of openness, integrity, of honor. At last, our country has accepted us -- not for who we love or how we love but who we are."





The magazine said its photo essay on 101 people serving in the military represented just a portion of the approximately 70,000 "currently serving" lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender military personnel.





"Today, for the first time in our history, we will welcome the service of any qualified individual who's willing to put on the uniform of our country," said Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a Republican credited with corralling support for the repeal.





Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware, called it "a day to celebrate that it does get better, and we are moving toward a more perfect union."





Seefried wrote a book on his experiences titled "Our Time: Breaking the Silence of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell." It had been advertised under his cover identify, but now Amazon is ready to substitute his real name on the book, he said.





"The book is really important to me because this ties into people finding out that there are other gay military members out there serving," Seefried earlier told CNN. "I remember a book I read when I was in college done by a gay military officer and it gave me courage and I hope this book does the same."





He admitted a lot of people will be
When will the "Don't ask, don't tell policy" end? What was it that Seefried revealed When does the Don't ask, don't tell policy end? What did First Lt. Josh Seefried reveal? What is the name of the gay activist?
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