Veterans Dismissed Under DADT Get Honorable Discharges

The Pentagon says it has approved honorable discharges for hundreds of people kicked out of the military under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which banned openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual troops from serving. In a news release Tuesday, the Defense Department said it had completed its "proactive review of service members administratively separated from the services for their sexual orientation" under the policy, which was in place from 1994 to 2011.

• The Pentagon said around 13,000 service members were dismissed under the policy, and "nearly 2,000 were separated with less than fully honorable characterizations." The Pentagon said they could appeal for an upgrade after the policy was appealed, and 85% of those who applied received "some form of relief," but others may have been unaware they could apply.

• The Pentagon said it reviewed records of those who could be eligible for an upgrade but had not applied. It said under the review, more than 800 veterans will have their discharges automatically changed to "honorable," with no need to go through the application process, CBS News reports.
• Christa A. Specht, director of legal policy at the Pentagon's Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, said more than 96% of individuals who were kicked out of the military under the policy "and who served for long enough to receive a merit-based characterization of service now have an honorable characterization of service."
• CBS News reports that the change in discharge status means that the veterans will have greater access to benefits including health care and college tuition assistance. The Pentagon said it has sent veterans letters telling them how to obtain their new discharge certificates.
• Repealing the policy was one of Barack Obama's campaign promises, the Guardian reports. "Gay and lesbian Americans now no longer need to hide who they love in order to serve the country they love," he said in 2012 on the first anniversary of the repeal.

(More Don't Ask, Don't Tell stories.)