(DailyEmailNews.com) – The Pentagon has moved to grant honorable discharges to veterans affected by the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
The Department of Defense has decided to upgrade the discharge status of nearly 800 veterans who were separated from service under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
This policy, which was in effect from 1994 to 2011, prohibited openly gay individuals from serving in the military.
The review process was initiated under the Biden-Harris administration. It examined 851 cases and determined that 96.8% qualified for “relief.”
“What this means is that of the nearly 13,500 individuals who were administratively separated under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, and served long enough to receive a merit-based characterization of service, 96% now have an honorable discharge,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in the statement.
“Even though the majority of service members discharged for their sexual orientation … were honorably separated, nearly 2,000 were separated with less than fully honorable characterizations,” Defense Department legal policy director Christa A. Specht stated in a news release.
The ramifications of this decision extend beyond mere paperwork. Veterans with upgraded discharges will now have access to a range of benefits, including healthcare, education assistance and VA loans.
Moreover, this review does not address the cases of those discharged before the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era, when policies were even stricter.
Specht added:
“We’re encouraging 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 come forward and request relief through the boards. They have a high chance of success.”
Critics of the decision argue that this move sets a dangerous precedent by retroactively changing discharge statuses.
They contend that the Pentagon is essentially admitting that its previous policies were wrong, potentially opening the floodgates for further revisions based on social norms rather than military necessity.
In the meantime, the military faces unprecedented challenges on the global stage, from an aggressive China to ongoing threats in the Middle East.
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