SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Inside the San Diego LGBT Community Center is the Veterans Wall of Honor, which features the names of San Diegans who sacrificed for their country.
"You know, some of them got to retire," said Melissa Johnson.
However, many servicemen and women were forced to live a double life and hide their true identities.
Johnson's name is etched onto the wall, but she never thought it would be.
"One of the reasons is that I never told anybody about my military service," said Johnson.
Johnson is a San Diego employment attorney and a veteran, an honor that took decades to express.
"I was embarrassed about the way I got kicked out. It was hurtful. It was painful. It's still painful and it's still hurtful,” she said.
Johnson was discharged from the Air Force after three years of service because of her sexual orientation.
"I had never failed at anything in my life and then I literally got a military career ripped out from under me," she said.
Johnson joined the military in the 1980s to get out of a small town in New Jersey, but at the time, being openly gay wasn't allowed and was grounds for removal.
"Some people got caught. Some people just got caught up in allegations. I got caught up in an allegation," said Johnson.
Fast forward about 40 years, and the shift in policy is seismic, as service members can openly be a part of the LGBTQ community.
Just this past month, those military members who were discharged for having same-sex sexual relations were pardoned by President Biden.
"What it does do is it enables those folks to get VA benefits, go to the VA, apply for a VA home loan, get veterans educational benefits. So, it opens the door for all of that. So, it's a good thing," said Johnson.
While more names will be added to this wall, the hope is the sacrifices they made will continue to echo with future generations.
"Personally, it was a path forward for me. The recognition on that wall validated me. It let me know that there are people up on that wall and stand with me. I'm not alone," said Johnson.
The San Diego LGBT Community Center is located on 3909 Centre St. in Hillcrest.
