Sergeant in arms

Five months after the US military's ban on openly gay service personnel expired, a heartwarming photograph showing a marine kissing his male partner at his homecoming in Hawaii has gone viral.

On his Facebook page, Sgt Brandon Morgan posted the picture (left) – which shows him embracing and kissing his partner, Dalan Wells – and, in a very short time, it went viral. Already the photograph has received going on for 20,000 likes on Facebook and almost 4,000 comments.

Sgt Morgan says he and his partner are overwhelmed at the response they've received. Writing earlier, he said:

I wanted to make one post for all of the great people i have made friends with after the picture of my partner and I went viral. I have gotten so many emails, messages and friend requests I can barely keep up with it all. I wanted to say thank you for all the comments and inspirational messages I have received. [...] Also, and this is important. For everyone we have inspired through the picture, know this. I am honored you view as a hero. My partner and I are overwhelmed to be such an inspiration. Remember though, that you being who you are is an inspiration to others as well. Heros are made when you make a choice [...] remember you paved the way for me to be able to post the picture in the first place. While I might be your hero because I have made the media. You have been my heros all along.

Up until September 2011, openly gay men and women were banned from serving in the US military.