The Pentagon is launching a new outreach campaign to help LGBTQ service members who feel they 鈥渟uffered an error or injustice鈥� before the repeal of the 鈥渄on鈥檛 ask, don鈥檛 tell鈥� policy to correct their military records.
鈥淔or decades, our LGBTQ2S+ service members were forced to hide or were prevented from serving altogether,鈥� Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement on Wednesday. 鈥淓ven still, they selflessly put themselves in harm鈥檚 way for the good of our country and the American people. Unfortunately, too many of them were discharged from the military based on their sexual orientation 鈥� and for many this left them without access to the benefits and services they earned.鈥�
鈥淚n the coming weeks, we will be initiating new outreach campaigns to encourage all service members and veterans who believe they have suffered an error or injustice to seek correction to their military records,鈥� Austin added.
Congress repealed the military鈥檚 the policy, which prohibited openly gay, lesbian or bisexual people from serving in the armed forces, in September 2011.
According to Pentagon data, more than 13,000 people were separated from the military under the department鈥檚 鈥渉omosexual conduct鈥� policy from 1994 to 2011 under varying conditions 鈥� including honourable, general, other than honourable, and unknown.
CBS was first to report the news.
Deputy Defence Secretary Kathleen Hicks said Wednesday that service members 鈥渨ere given discharges that may have denied them access to veterans鈥� benefits like home loans, healthcare, GI Bill tuition assistance, and even some government jobs.鈥�
鈥淎s the Secretary notes, decades of laws and policies that forced service members to hide who they are left a long and cruel legacy. Not just in terms of the individual traumas wrought upon service members and family members, but also as tens of thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines were expelled from the military,鈥� Hicks said.
A defence official told reporters on Wednesday that the department will also conduct a 鈥減roactive review鈥� to potentially upgrade other than honourable discharges for service members separated from the military in the era the policy operated, from 1994 to 2011.
Personnel will identify veterans鈥� records who show their separation was due to their sexual orientation and who received a discharge 鈥渢hat was less than honourable.鈥� A panel will then determine if those records need upgrading, and send the individuals鈥� names to the service secretaries 鈥渇or consideration and potential correction,鈥� the official said.
That proactive review has not yet started, they said, and will begin when the Defence Department is 鈥渁ssured that everybody has the proper training and that we鈥檙e doing this in the right way.鈥�
The defence official added that currently there are roughly 2,000 individuals who were discharged under the policy for their sexual orientation but received a less than honourable discharge.
鈥淚n the widest possible margin, that鈥檚 who we鈥檙e going to be proactively looking at,鈥� the official said. 鈥淥bviously there may be 鈥� and we鈥檙e hopeful that there will be 鈥� additional people who see this information and come forward and apply to the discharge review boards.鈥�
The official emphasized that officials will 鈥減roceed cautiously鈥� in contacting veterans over their discharges to avoid any privacy concerns with personal information.
The Department鈥檚 outreach campaign will be 鈥渙nline, by e-mail, by mail, through nonprofits and veterans鈥� service organizations, and more,鈥� Hicks said Wednesday, but added that they know restoring veterans鈥� records 鈥渃annot fully restore the dignity taken from LGBTQ2S+ service members when they were expelled from the military.鈥�
鈥淏ut this is yet another step we鈥檙e taking to make sure we do right by those who served honorably, despite being forced to hide who they are and who they love, while serving the country they love,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ven if the Department didn鈥檛 see it then, we see it now. We see you now. We value your service, and we鈥檙e grateful.鈥�
