An aerial view of the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on May 25, 2016. (Marisol Walker/U.S. Army)
WASHINGTON — More than 800 LGBTQ+ veterans kicked out of the military for their sexuality under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy will have their honor restored, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.
The announcement comes one year after the Defense Department began proactively reviewing 851 records of former service members discharged during “don’t ask, don’t tell” who were believed to be eligible for a change of status but had not yet applied. Of those, 96.8% — 824 veterans across the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps — will receive an honorable discharge.
“We will continue to honor the service and the sacrifice of all our troops — including the brave Americans who raised their hands to serve but were turned away because of whom they love,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.
“Don’t ask, don’t tell” was signed into law in 1993 by President Bill Clinton to allow gay men and lesbians to serve in the military as long as they did not make their sexual orientation public. Those who chose to disclose were discharged.
But the policy was repealed 13 years ago by Congress after forcing about 13,500 service members out of the military during the 17 years that it was in place from 1994 to 2011. While the majority were honorably separated, nearly 2,000 were separated with less than fully honorable conditions, according to Christa A. Specht, legal policy director at the Pentagon’s Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.
Those troops were given other-than-honorable discharges, making them ineligible for many VA benefits, including health care, disability compensation, home loans and burial benefits unless they sought corrective action through a character of service review for benefits eligibility. Determinations are made by the Discharge Review Board or Board for Correction of Military Records for each veteran’s branch of service.
Since the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” in 2012, the Military Department Review Boards have overwhelmingly granted relief to former service members separated under the policy who requested it — over 85% of applications historically were at least partially granted, the Pentagon said.
Today, 96% of those who were administratively separated under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, and served long enough to receive a merit-based characterization of service, have an honorable discharge following the Defense Department’s efforts over the past year, combined with the previous effort of the Military Department Review Boards.
The Defense Department has submitted corrected records and mailed letters advising affected individuals how they can obtain copies of their new discharge certificates. Changes to discharge characterizations may result in additional benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Defense Department encourages anyone who still believes that there is something in their military record that is an error or an injustice — in particular, service members who might have been impacted by records that predate Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell who were separated for their sexual orientation — to request relief through the boards.
“They have a high chance of success,” Specht said.
