osex uals ▁to ▁those ▁who ▁did ▁not ▁reve al ▁their ▁sexual ▁orientation . ▁A ▁stat ute ▁repe aling ▁the ▁D AD T ▁policy ▁was ▁en act ed ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁with ▁the ▁change ▁in ▁policy ▁delayed ▁until ▁military ▁and ▁government ▁officials ▁cert ified ▁that ▁plans ▁were ▁in ▁place ▁for ▁its ▁smooth ▁implementation . ▁The ▁date ▁when ▁hom osex uals ▁could ▁serve ▁open ly ▁in ▁the ▁military ▁remained ▁uncertain ▁and ▁Cong r essional ▁efforts ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁change ▁in ▁policy ▁from ▁going ▁into ▁effect ▁continued ▁during ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁ ▁Social ▁media ▁campaign ▁While ▁deployed ▁in ▁South west ▁Asia ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁Phill ips , ▁a ▁Senior ▁Air man ▁since ▁March ▁ 1 5 , ▁became ▁determined ▁to ▁reve al ▁his ▁hom osex ual ity . ▁To ▁seek ▁support , ▁he ▁launched ▁a ▁social ▁media ▁campaign ▁by ▁posting ▁videos ▁on ▁YouTube ▁ ▁and ▁messages ▁on ▁Twitter , ▁under ▁the ▁anonymous ▁heading ▁" Are You Su pr ised ." ▁He ▁described ▁himself ▁as ▁a ▁" mil it ary ▁member ▁in ▁the ▁clos et , ▁using ▁social ▁media ▁to ▁build ▁up ▁the ▁courage ▁to ▁come ▁out ▁to ▁family , ▁my ▁girl friend , ▁friends ▁and ▁cow ork ers ." ▁The ▁Twitter ▁account ▁identified ▁him ▁as ▁" Just ▁an ▁average ▁G I , ▁who ▁happens ▁to ▁be ▁gay ." ▁In ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁th ir teen ▁videos ▁posted ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁five ▁months , ▁he ▁asked ▁the ▁public ▁for ▁advice ▁and