Army specialist comes out during live broadcast of NYC Pride parade

A U.S. Army specialist marked his first Pride parade by coming out on live television during the celebrations in New York City.

When Spc. Brion Houston of Vermont was asked whether he had revealed to his colleagues in the military whether he was gay, he responded, "Not yet--but now I am. This is my coming out!”

Houston was surrounded by his cousin and friends on the sideline for the parade as he made the announcement to the world on ABC News Live.

"This is absolutely incredible," he said to a round of cheers and applause from the crowd behind him.

Houston said the Pride celebration was especially poignant given it was on the heels of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

"On the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, there's no better time to be out in the military than right now," he said.