Complex sentence: Many lesbians found solace in the all-female environment of the United States Women's Army Corps (WAC), but this demanded secrecy, as lesbians were not allowed to serve openly in the U.S. military.
Split into simpler sentences: Many lesbians found solace in the all-female environment of the U.S. Women's Army Corps (WAC). But this demanded secrecy, as lesbians were not originally allowed to serve openly in the U.S. military.