SAN DIEGO -- Two days after President Obama declared he would end the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, a gay local sailor talked to 10News about how Obama's decision will make it easier for other gays in the military.

While Obama has not announced a timeline for the end of the policy, local Navy corpsman Tom said he is counting the days.

Tom told 10News he hears jokes about gays daily and has had to play along to protect the seven-year career he loves.

"I hear things like '(expletive) should die,' stuff like that. I have to pretend to believe what they're saying. I get really angry and frustrated. I've been to wary and expect to see the freedoms I'm fighting for, but I don't because I'm gay. It's really difficult, and it's been seven years of hiding who I am and pretending I was somebody else. It'll be awesome when the policy ends because I can finally be myself," said Tom.

As for the end of the policy possibly hurting cohesion and morale, Tom said, "They teach us to adapt and overcome. Everybody will adapt to the process."

Tom said he is not out to anybody in the military and is looking forward to simply being himself.

Tom has served in Iraq and is about to be deployed to Afghanistan. He said he hopes by the time he returns to San Diego, he will be able to serve openly as a gay man.