Horizons Commends Department of Defense Decision to Upgrade LGBTQ Servicemember Records While Calling for More Action
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced last week that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) will upgrade the discharges of more than 800 veterans who were dismissed from the military due to their sexual orientation under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT). The policy, which was in effect from 1994—2011, barred LGBTQ servicemembers from serving openly. Those who were discharged under the policy were ineligible for accessing many veterans’ benefits like healthcare, GI bill tuition assistance, pension benefits, and more. A 2018 report from RAND Corp. estimated that 6.1% of servicemembers identify as LGBTQ, almost the same percentage of LGBTQ-identifying people in the U.S. (7.1%). This means that potentially hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ people have served in the military, even before the enactment of DADT, the vast majority serving from the closet.
Horizons Foundation commends the recent DOD move, which takes steps to rectify decades of anti-LGBTQ policies that negatively impacted the lives of hundreds of servicemembers who only wanted to honorably serve their country. The Bay Area-based organization Swords to Plowshares—a Horizons grantee partner since 1999—works to alleviate poverty and homelessness among veterans. Horizons was proud to award Swords to Plowshares with a grant in 2021 to help them maintain a dedicated staff attorney to conduct outreach and provide services to LGBTQ veterans in the Bay Area. While they are also encouraged by these actions, they note the work is far from over.
"This work by the Department of Defense is promising," said Mo Siedor, Director of Legal Services at Swords to Plowshares. “The DOD is finally healing some of the dignitary harm caused by ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ There's more work to be done, though. The DOD hasn't included any of the veterans who were kicked out prior to DADT due to their sexuality. And, most of the veterans ousted by DADT were separated without sufficient time in service, depriving them of VA benefits. While DOD's efforts today are laudable, many injustices persist from these discriminatory DOD policies and laws."
Horizons echoes Swords to Plowshares’ call for the military to do more to ensure that all LGBTQ veterans, including those discharged prior to DADT, receive the benefits and upgraded discharges they deserve. Within the veteran community, LGBTQ veterans are a severely underserved population often associated with poverty, homelessness, mental health issues, and suicide. Swords to Plowshares continues to advocate for this segment of our community and offers hope and support for returning veterans, including housing programs, job training, and legal services, prioritizing Black, disabled, and low-income servicemembers.
Check out our 2021 Q&A with Swords to Plowshares to learn more about the effects of the Pentagon’s recent actions on LGBTQ veterans. Learn more about Swords to Plowshares’ work with at-risk veterans.