this is 24-year-old you. do you remember what she is thinking? i thought i was proud at that time, putting on that uniform was everything. reporter: when sherrill farrell joined the navy in 1985, she thought she had found a career. reporter: you wanted to do 20 years. that was my plan. reporter: you didn t even do ten months. no, sir. i wasn t allowed to. reporter: she said a casual conversation about gay clubs with a bunkmate and landed her in front of naval investigators. naval career was over a few months later. she was stunned to read her dd 214. her discharge document. other than honorable do to homosexuality. it hurt because my country was telling me i was not good enough to serve because of who i love. not because of anything else, just because of who i love. reporter: farrell is part of a group of veterans now suing the defense department together discharge is changed and gain access to benefits like va loans, tuition assistance, and federal jobs. this cas