An ex-soldier who was jailed for kissing a fellow serviceman in the 1980s has become one the first gay veterans to have his ceremonial cap badge returned to him.
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00:00Hi, my name's Stephen Close. I'm a 61-year-old Army veteran who was discharged with disgrace
00:09from the Army in 1983 for having a normal sexual relationship with another soldier.
00:16Last Monday I was invited to the Tower of London to receive my cap badge under the recommendations
00:23of the Lord Evington Report. Under the Lord Evington's report, he had 49 recommendations.
00:35One of the recommendations was for ex-servicemen to be awarded back their cap badges and berets
00:42and I went to Tower of London on Monday to receive mine.
00:49It was a very emotional and proud moment and it's closure to a very long 40-year struggle.
00:57No resentment, just disappointment at how long it took. It was a 41-year campaign and
01:06struggle. It was a struggle for 30 years of being a convicted sex offender up until 2013
01:16when I received my royal pardon and I've also received the apology finally from the
01:21government last July. Well hopefully I can draw a line under it now and everything's
01:28going to be much more relaxed I hope in the future.