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New bill could restore veteran benefits to 114,000 unfairly discharged LGBTQ military members
Don's Ask, Don't Tell was a flawed procedure that resulted in the termination of a good number of LGBTQ members of the military. It is time to undo part of the injustice suffered by these patriots and restore benefits to members of the military wrongfully terminated under the old policy
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It’s called the SERVE Act (Securing the Rights our Veterans Earned). It would guarantee and protect Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits for LGBTQ veterans discharged from the military due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The law would cover those discharged under World War II, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) and the Trump Administration’s ban on transgender servicemembers.
It’s difficult to know how many LGBTQ service members were discharged under the military’s different anti-LGBTQ policies, though one estimate puts the figure near 114,000 people, according to the Modern Military Association of America. An estimated 13,000 LGBTQ service members were discharged from 1994 to 2008 under DADT, the Center for American Progress reported. Countless others never re-enlisted because of the program.
Most received an Other Than Honorable (OTH) or Entry-Level Separation (ELS) discharges which don’t often explicitly state LGBTQ identity as the reason. These discharges cause LGBTQ veterans to lose access to VA health care and benefits such as education, burial and memorial services and home loans, Pappas said.
The unfair discharges drove some LGBTQ veterans to fall into depression or substance abuse. The discharges can also make it hard for LGBTQ vets to get jobs since many employers don’t understand the difference between a dishonorable discharge and the “other than honorable” discharge, Marketplace reported.
LGBTQ veterans can have their discharge papers reviewed and modified, but the process can take months and many LGBTQ veterans don’t even realize they’re eligible.
“A double standard continues to persist for LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans who suffered from government-sponsored discriminatory policies simply because of who they are,” Pappas said. “As we near the tenth anniversary of the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ it’s long past time that these veterans are afforded the benefits they’ve rightfully earned defending our country.”
The law would cover those discharged under World War II, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) and the Trump Administration’s ban on transgender servicemembers.
It’s difficult to know how many LGBTQ service members were discharged under the military’s different anti-LGBTQ policies, though one estimate puts the figure near 114,000 people, according to the Modern Military Association of America. An estimated 13,000 LGBTQ service members were discharged from 1994 to 2008 under DADT, the Center for American Progress reported. Countless others never re-enlisted because of the program.
Most received an Other Than Honorable (OTH) or Entry-Level Separation (ELS) discharges which don’t often explicitly state LGBTQ identity as the reason. These discharges cause LGBTQ veterans to lose access to VA health care and benefits such as education, burial and memorial services and home loans, Pappas said.
The unfair discharges drove some LGBTQ veterans to fall into depression or substance abuse. The discharges can also make it hard for LGBTQ vets to get jobs since many employers don’t understand the difference between a dishonorable discharge and the “other than honorable” discharge, Marketplace reported.
LGBTQ veterans can have their discharge papers reviewed and modified, but the process can take months and many LGBTQ veterans don’t even realize they’re eligible.
“A double standard continues to persist for LGBTQ+ servicemembers and veterans who suffered from government-sponsored discriminatory policies simply because of who they are,” Pappas said. “As we near the tenth anniversary of the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ it’s long past time that these veterans are afforded the benefits they’ve rightfully earned defending our country.”
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More than 13,000: The number of gay and lesbian service men and women have been discharged from military service since 1993. Thousands more have decided not to reenlist due to the policy.
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