LGBTQ+ rights advocates have made significant strides by reaching a pivotal agreement with Department of Defense officials aimed at reforming the policies surrounding discharge upgrades.
This initiative focuses on veterans who faced discharges under the controversial “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
After 17 months of legal battles, this settlement holds the promise of opening doors for over 30,000 veterans, granting them a potential route to seek an upgrade to their honorable discharge status.
Innovative Military Appeals Process
While the settlement awaits approval from the judiciary, it introduces an innovative military appeals process.
This new avenue allows veterans to pursue upgrades to their discharge classifications.
The reforms aim to simplify and accelerate the process for those wishing to amend their service records.
A crucial aspect of these changes is the removal of discriminatory language concerning sexual orientation from discharge papers.
In addition, all discharges that were deemed less-than-honorable under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy will now undergo a review process without the need for veterans to submit a new application.
Impact of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which was enacted in 1993, led to the dismissal of nearly 13,500 service members solely because of their sexual orientation, until it was finally revoked in 2011.
Advocates have highlighted the detrimental impact these discharges have had on countless individuals, who were unjustly stripped of essential benefits.
In a prior announcement, the Pentagon revealed that about 800 veterans would receive automatic upgrades to their discharge statuses.
With this new agreement, the scope widens further, potentially allowing an additional 20,000 service members, who were dismissed before the policy’s repeal, to benefit from these important changes.
Source: Militarytimes