The Pentagon announced Tuesday that it will accept openly gay recruits, for now, the AP reported.

The rule change is a consequence of a federal judge's ruling that found the military's ban on open gay service to be unconstitutional and a subsequent injunction ordering the Pentagon to stop enforcing the policy, known as “Don't Ask, Don't Tell.” The 17-year-old law prescribes discharge for gay and bisexual service members who do not remain celibate or closeted.

Arguing that a court-ordered repeal of the policy would be “disruptive to military readiness,” the government has requested U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips to stay her order while it prepares an appeal. Phillips is expected to deny the government's request on Tuesday.

The Pentagon is informing gay recruits that the ruling could be reversed on appeal. Currently, the military does not ask recruits their sexual orientation.

“If they were to self admit that they are gay and want to enlist, we will process them for enlistment, but will tell them that the legal situation could change,” Douglas Smith, spokesman for U.S. Army Recruiting Command based at Fort Knox, KY, told the news service.

Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), warned gay troops against revealing their sexual orientation.

“During this interim period of uncertainty, service members must not come out and recruits should use caution if choosing to sign up,” Sarvis said in a statement. “The 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law is rooted in any statement of homosexuality made at anytime and to anyone.”

“The bottom line: if you come out now, it can be used against you in the future by the Pentagon,” he added.

A website that tracks all reported instances of harm to unit cohesion, discipline and privacy that arise as a result of open gay service went online Monday. The website (enormousconsequences.com) reports zero incidents as of Tuesday afternoon, seven days after the military was ordered to stop enforcing the policy.