Over 800 veterans to receive honorable discharges, the Pentagon said. (Representative Image)
In a landmark announcement on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin revealed that over 800 veterans, previously discharged from the military under the controversial “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, will have their discharge status upgraded to “honorable.”
This decision addresses decades of discrimination faced by gay and lesbian service members who were discharged due to their sexual orientation.
“Under President Biden’s leadership, the Department of Defense has taken extraordinary steps to redress the harms done by ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and other policies on these former Service members,” Secretary Austin said in an official statement.
The move comes after a year-long proactive review of veterans’ records, identifying LGBTQ+ ex-military personnel who are eligible for an honorable discharge but had not yet applied for one.
For the 800-plus veterans included in this effort, their discharge status will be upgraded automatically, relieving them of the burden of going through the military’s complex discharge upgrade process.
An honorable discharge unlocks essential benefits for former military personnel, including healthcare services, educational benefits, VA loans, and job opportunities.
Many veterans discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” were denied these rights for decades.
A defense official confirmed that ex-military official will receive instructions on how to obtain updated copies of their DD-214 discharge papers, reflecting the new status.
Since the DD-214 contains sensitive information, veterans must personally request the revised documents.
In a parallel effort, President Biden took action earlier this year by issuing pardons to former military personnel convicted under outdated military laws criminalizing consensual sodomy.
This initiative further highlights the administration’s commitment to addressing past discrimination against LGBTQ+ service members.
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was enacted in 1993 under President Bill Clinton, prohibiting military personnel from openly identifying as gay or lesbian. Although the policy was repealed in 2011, many veterans still grapple with the consequences of having received less-than-honorable discharges.
However, the Pentagon’s review will not extend to veterans discharged before the implementation of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Gay and lesbian service members from earlier decades, who were barred from serving entirely, remain some of the most impacted by discriminatory policies. Veterans from those eras will still need to apply for a discharge upgrade through the formal process.
Former Air Force Captain Andrew Espinosa’s story sheds light on the ongoing struggles faced by LGBTQ+ veterans. Espinosa was accused of inappropriate conduct just months before “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” came into effect.
Despite maintaining his innocence, he was convicted and dishonorably discharged after 10 years of service.
He has spent decades fighting to clear his name, but has been denied a discharge upgrade by the Air Force, even after the policy’s repeal.
Espinosa is one of many LGBTQ+ veterans who were dismissed under different pretenses, but who believe their sexual orientation was the true reason behind their discharge.
For now, veterans like Espinosa remain without a clear path to restoring their military honor.
While the Pentagon’s announcement is a major step toward righting past wrongs, many former military personnel still face an uphill battle.
The automatic review process announced Tuesday will not be expanded beyond the 800 veterans already included.
Any others seeking an upgrade will need to navigate the formal process themselves.
The Department of Defense, however, encourages all ex-military personnel who believe they were wrongfully discharged to apply for a correction to their military records.
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